One Piece has been around for over two decades and still continues to remain in the hearts of millions of its passionate fans. In that sense, we’ve seen many touching moments in One Piece – from the colorful cast of characters to dozens of incredible storylines. But with those stories often come terrible heartaches and sad deaths, leaving us reflecting and remembering the beloved characters who have left us behind.
The “One Piece” anime is known for its long arcs and grisly plot twists that quite often end with a major character taking their last breath. There have been some seriously heartbreaking deaths throughout the series, with each one having a lasting impact on some of our favorite Straw Hat Pirates, or allies, or villains.
In this article we will be ranking the saddest One Piece deaths of all time, not just by how strongly they affected us emotionally but also by how important they were to the story as a whole. Without further ado, let’s dive right into it!
Whitebeard
Whitebeard, otherwise known as Edward Teach or Edward Thatch, was the captain of the Whitebeard Pirates, and a Yonko. He was known as the strongest man in the world of One Piece and was a force to be reckoned with. Sadly, Whitebeard lost his life during the Battle of Marineford. We’ll explore that and more as we go through the saddest One Piece deaths of all time, starting with Whitebeard.
Background
Whitebeard, born Edward Newgate, was a world-renowned pirate known as the “Man Closest to One Piece” after Gol D. Roger’s death. He was a former member of Gol D. Roger’s crew and the only one known to have matched him in combat. Whitebeard led an entire fleet with his dominating personality and charisma as his spiritual weapon, earning him the nicknames ‘The Strongest Man in The World’ and ‘The Man Who Could Move The World.’
Whitebeard had an incredible appetite that gave him his iconic mammoth stature, eating vast amounts of food enough to feed an entire village. In addition to having tremendous physical strength even in his old age, Whitebeard controlled the powers of the Gura Gura no Mi (aka Quake Quake Fruit), which allowed him to control the element of vibration and cause earthquakes with a mere stomp or clap of his hands. It is said that such power could even sunder a continent apart or call forth legendary sea monsters.
Death
When it comes to the deaths of One Piece characters, few can top the sheer emotional impact of Whitebeard’s demise. Whitebeard, real name Edward Newgate (known as Oden Kozuki in his youth), was the captain of the Whitebeard Pirates and one of the few men who could legitimately be called a Pirate King, commanding more than half a million men and being more powerful than Roger himself.
Whitebeard’s death, which occurs after he sacrifices himself to save Luffy from an execution at Marineford, has been remembered as one of the single most impactful scenes in anime history. Even fans who had been watching One Piece since its inception couldn’t contain their emotions seeing their hero die so tragically. Not only did fans grieve for him, but they also mourned for his many sons and crewmates who were left behind with no leader to inspire them or keep them safe.
Whitebeard’s death scene stands out not just because it was an important plot point in One Piece but because of how drastically it altered not just that particular story arc but also the entire course of events for years to come. It solidified Akainu’s reign over Marines and left a power gap that other characters soon filled. It sealed warlord Crocodile’s fate, giving him no chance at redemption from his wrongdoings, and began yet another struggle between Marines and Pirates with even higher stakes than before. Above all else though, Whitebeard died acting true to his nature: risking everything to protect what he held dear with honor and courage until his last breath.
Ace
Ace’s death was one of the saddest moments in the anime of One Piece. Ace was Luffy’s beloved brother and a fan favorite character in the series since he made his appearance in the Alabasta Saga. He was a strong fighter, loyal friend, and had a kind heart. Seeing him die was a tragedy for many fans. Let’s dive into the details on why Ace’s death is considered one of the saddest in the series.
Background
One Piece is a popular shonen anime/manga series that follows the adventures of Monkey D. Luffy and his band of Straw Hat Pirates as they search for the ultimate treasure, the One Piece. Despite its zany premise and lighter tone, this anime has had many heartbreaking deaths across its 20+ year run. Characters have been taken away—some too soon, some tragically—exemplifying how real One Piece feels at times.
Though we all know that death is part of any good story, no matter how much it adds to the series it can still be difficult to watch a beloved character suffer and ultimately die in devastating way. Acknowledging those characters that have been taken from us too early is a small step towards honoring their memory; this list takes a look at some of the most devastating deaths in One Piece history.
Death
The One Piece universe has seen its fair share of tragedy and death. From the wrenching deaths at Marineford to the heartbreaking deaths of allies to assassination of enemies, the anime has had no shortage of sad moments. However, some deaths have affected fans more than others, with their consequences felt long after they happened. Here are five of what many consider to be the saddest One Piece deaths of all time.
1) Ace’s death: The younger brother of Luffy was a fan favorite character who refused to betray his own morals and beliefs no matter how dire his situation became. His brave yet tragic death at Marineford was a defining moment for One Piece as a whole and made Luffy’s resolve even stronger.
2) Donquixote Doflamingo’s defeat: Donquixote Doflamingo straddled both sides as an antagonist and ally throughout the series, ultimately dying in one gruesome yet beautiful moment that shook up everything in the world at large. His end was not only tragic but also had major implications on the dynamics between countries.
3) Smoker’s endgame: After ten years since his introduction Smoker faced off against Fujitora courtesy an amazing battle that ended with Smoker sacrificing himself in Luffy’s stead. Having been portrayed as nothing but a loyal marine right till the end, it was almost painful watching him move just moments before he perished due to sheer exhaustion and trauma suffered through his lifetime.
4) Nico Robin’s backstory: A tragic figure who lived much too long in this cruel world due to her Devil Fruit powers , her story left many heartbroken with cries for justice heard everywhere where it was realized that she deserved much better than what this life had given her . It made everyone root for her even harder when they found out that she eventually found happiness within paradise .
5) Portgas D Ace : Even though he doesn’t have a direct involvement in any arcs, he’s still considered one of the most devastating losses ever since Luffy lost his dear brother who followed freedom over spiteful revenge . This loss cemented Luffy’s will power for good and guided him towards becoming one of history’s greatest pirates .
Portgas D. Rouge
Portgas D. Rouge is one of the most heart-wrenching deaths in the One Piece series. She gave birth to the main protagonist, Monkey D. Luffy and is his biological mother. Her death is a very emotional moment in the series that left many fans with tears in their eyes. We will now analyse why this death is so sad and what impact it has had on the series.
Background
Portgas D. Rouge was a pirate who joined the crew of Rocks before the start of the Great Age Of Pirates. She is an interesting character who unfortunately had a very sad fate. Her backstory involves an encounter with Gol D. Roger during her youth and her determination to live life to the fullest as a pirate.
Rouge was born fifteen years after the execution of Pirate King Gol D. Roger, to his former mistress Portgas D. Anna and Vice Admiral Garp, making her the half-sister Luffy’s adoptive grandfather, Monkey D. Garp, who became a Marine in order to protect his beloved daughter Rouge from pirates and their life of misfortune such as danger and sadness. Having been protected by both parents, Rouge was raised in love and care but still harbored ambitions of becoming a sea-going pirate like her father before her – which is why she joined Rocks’ fleet when they sailed into port one fateful night fourteen years ago.
While aboard Rock’s ship, Rouge made allies with fellow crew members and fought bravely alongside them until one fateful night during a fierce storm when their ship met its destruction by Red Line Island’s whirlpool; causing their demise upon impact with Sylph Labyrinth’s wall – leading to the tragic death of all onboard except for Luffy who survived due to his rubber body components that should him afloat above water long enough until he got caught by Shanks’ crew at the Red Line later on. Despite meeting such an unfortunate end, Rouge actually put forth great effort in trying to ensure both herself and others on board could avoid this stroke of misfortune; risking heavily in attempting retrieve what had been lost at sea only for all attempts at salvaging boats gone wrong – ultimately ending with Rouge dying peacefully at sea without being able to fulfill her dreams as a full-fledged Pirate due to drowning within wreckage amidst chaotic stormy waters despite everyone’s best efforts…making this sorrowful incident remain deeply etched into hearts worldwide as one of One Piece’s most somber happenings yet…
Death
The death of Portgas D. Rouge, mother of the main protagonist, Monkey D. Luffy, is one of the saddest moments in the entire series of One Piece. Her death serves as a reminder for all that it is our time that we have here and it should be cherished and enjoyed.
Portgas D. Rouge gave her life so her son could live, sacrificing herself so Luffy could escape their enemy’s clutches with his crew-members without any harm coming to them. She was a loving mother who showed Luffy just how much she truly cared for him even though they had been apart most of his life until he found out the truth about his heritage shortly before her death.
Her end was particularly heartbreaking because prior to her sacrifice she finally seemed happy that she could now be part of Luffy’s world—something she always wanted but never had a chance to experience with him until then—only for it to be ripped away from them in few short moments when their enemies attacked yet again, leaving Rouge with no other option than sacrificing herself for the sake if saving them all from danger and destruction.
The impact left by her death is still felt today among fans long time after first episode it happened in back then – an episode which stands as one of series’ saddest individual tales, leaving many viewers with tears exchanged for joy over newfound knowledge about far-reaching implications Rouge’s heroic actions had upon entire rest events going forward within story arcs which followed afterward.
Crocodile
One of the saddest One Piece deaths of all time is that of the villainous yet beloved character Crocodile. Approaching the end of the Alabasta Arc, Crocodile was a formidable villain who had been terrorizing the land with his nefarious schemes. His death was a tragic one, as he sacrificed himself to save the citizens of Alabasta from danger. Let’s get into the details of Crocodile’s death and its impact on the One Piece universe.
Background
Crocodile was born as Sir Crocodile, a former Shichibukai who is the president and absolute leader of the secret criminal organization Baroque Works. He was always calm and collected, with quite dark clothing and a strong air of irrationality. Having immense power, he is labeled as an invincible man.
He is the first powerful antagonist to be fought by Luffy. After the fight in Alabasta, he was sentenced to Impel Down where his considerable powers would not harm anyone else. Though it seemed like Crocodile’s story ended this way, he made his surprise appearance during the Impel Down arc to save Luffy from Magellan’s assault. He then returned as an ally that Luffy could rely on during the war in Marineford, where he chose to fight alongside him until his death at Whitebeard’s hands due to overexerting his internal organs by switching bodies one time too many for trying to help Luffy in battle against Akainu which ultimately cost him his life. With this act of selflessness towards protecting Luffy against enemies far beyond his own capabilities, Crocodile proved himself as one of Luffy’s greatest allies and friends in only few short arcs leading up to his death at Marineford making him a character who is greatly missed by fans around the world to this day.
Death
Though the series is known for its lighthearted moments, One Piece has a heartbreaking side as any fan will tell you. Since it’s creation in 1997, numerous characters have met their fate in some unbearable way or another and although each passing is sad, some are truly harder to watch than others. Here is our list of the saddest One Piece deaths of all time ranked from least to most devastating.
Crocodile: Unlike many of the other characters on this list, Crocodile’s death was not an enjoyable moment but moreso a necessary one. As one of the three admirals he proved to be a very hard to beat adversary and although he was a villain at first it was impossible not to appreciate his sense of humor and love for danger by the end. His death marked the start of Luffy’s journey towards becoming a hero and that alone makes it one of the saddest moments in One Piece history.
Kuma
One of the saddest One Piece deaths of all time has to be that of Kuma. Kuma was the former Warlord of the Sea who was loyal to the World Government until his unusual transformation. He was one of the most important characters in the entire series and his death affected people in the real world. Let’s take a look at his death and his overall impact.
Background
One Piece is an incredibly popular and longstanding manga series, as well as its anime adaption, about the misadventures of Luffy and the Straw Hat pirates. Throughout their travels, this lively band of ‘worst generation’ pirates have encountered many tragic events and here we count down the most depressing death in One Piece so far.
To make this list, we took into account a combination of mass public reaction to the fate that befell each character but also the global impact of a loss within One Piece’s narrative. So without further ado, here are Kuma Ranking The Saddest One Piece Deaths Of All Time!
Death
Death is an inevitable part of life, and the same is true for the characters of One Piece. The world of Luffy and his crew is filled with adventure, friendship, romance, comedy– and tragedy. Over the course of the series, some beloved characters have met their fate in heartbreaking circumstances. While every fan may feel differently about which death has moved them most deeply, there are certain arcs that carry a particularly heavy load when it comes to sadness– from Ace’s heroic last stand to Kuma’s ultimate sacrifice.
The deaths that we remember long after we finish watching those episodes tend to be those that come with an emotional impact and story arcs with plenty of development– poignant moments such as Whitebeard’s final words or Shipwright Neptune’s mourning Zou Arc are still fresh in our minds even though they happened years ago. So let us take a look at ten of the saddest One Piece deaths throughout different arcs in the series:
-Portgas D. Ace: Ace’s final battle in Marineford ended with him sacrificing himself so his younger brother could survive. After having reminded everyone why he was loved so much by Luffy and all those around him until his dying breath, his last wish was carried out when Luffy took Ace’s corpse away from Marineford on Ox Bell saying “I promised I would take you home!”
-Kuma: This sad death happened towards the end of Thriller Bark arc as Kuma was betrayed by one who was very close to him and whom he trusted immensely – Bartholomew Kuma – selfless sacrifice for Luffy being sent flying away from an overwhelming force that could have easily killed him had Kuma not stepped into action left viewers speechless as we were reminded once again what true friendship really means.