If you’ve been watching One Piece long enough, then you already know that the anime is not just a story about pirates chasing treasure. The story carries the weight of the characters' dreams, the scars of the past, and the heartbreaking sacrifices made along the way.
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While One Piece isfilled with joy, adventure, and many comedic scenes we still remember, some moments are sad and will always bring tears to our faces, yet these are the moments that also made it unforgettable. Here are some of the saddest moments in the series that made us cry as fans.
10The Straw Hats' Final Goodbye to the Going Merry
More Than Just A Vessel
The Going Merry was not just a ship forthe Straw Hatsbecause they lived, bled, and laughed in this vessel. It was the first real home they had together. In this sense, when the time came to say goodbye, it was like the Straw Hats and fans lost a crew member.
The entire scene of the Going Merry’s burial is seared into my memory, and the most fascinating thing is how the ship never gave up, even with its broken keels and hulls.
When the ship defied all odds and logic to save the Straw Hats at Enies Lobby, it made the goodbye even more unbearable.
9Sanji vs Luffy at Whole Cake Island
The Day Sanji Felt Like He Was Hitting Himself
Sanji made the harsh decision to sacrifice himself for his father’s vision because he did not want to drag his crew into danger. However, Luffy refused to accept his decision and wanted him back as the chef of his ship.
The Straw Hats' cook pushed Luffy away in the most brutal way by beating him to a pulp, but still, the Straw Hat captain refused to back down. Luffy knew Sanji was not the only one hurting, and even we, as fans, could not hold back our tears as we witnessed one of our strongest bonds being torn open.
Also, Luffy’s statement that he will not eat any food unless it is from Sanji just solidified that scene as one of the saddest in the series.
8The Sacrifice of Bon Clay at Impel Down
A Nakama Last Stand
In Alabasta, Bon Clay was part of a villainous group called Baroque Works, but he later became a friend of the Straw Hats in the end. He was the reason the Straw Hats escaped in the Alabasta arc.
Hence, his heroic deed at Alabasta landed him in Impel Down prison, where he reunited with Luffy and wreaked havoc together. Once again, Bon Clay helped Luffy and fought for him to save his brother because he believed in their friendship.
Baroque Works
The reunion between Luffy and Bon Clay ended in tragedy and left fans in tears when he sacrificed himself so the gate of justice could open. Bon Clay’s flamboyant personality was not supposed to be the emotional anchor of Impel Down, but he was, and he smiled through tears and pain to help Luffy save his brother.
7The Death of Fire Fist Ace
Luffy’s Scream Was All of Us
There are moments in anime that hit so hard, you remember exactly where you were when you watched them. For me,Ace’s deathwas one of those.
Ace always grappled with the internal conflict of whether he deserved to live, and he carried that ache all through his life. However, as a member of the Whitebeard Pirates, he felt love and found something worth fighting for.
He died grateful and with a smile, in the arms of his brother, as if Luffy and Whitebeard’s love was more than he ever thought he’d have. In that scene where Luffy screamed and lost consciousness, we all felt his pain and the impact of Ace’s death.
6The Brawl Between Luffy and Usopp
The Brothers Who Became Rivals
The fight between Luffy and Usopp was a painful watch, and it came wrapped in pride and miscommunication. The fact that it had to happen made it one of the hardest things I have ever watched in One Piece.
Usopp always felt like the weakest link in the crew, so watching the one thing he could protect be declared useless was hard to accept. Luffy did not want to fight, but in that moment, he had to make the hard call as the captain to let go of the Going Merry.
The fight was a test of friendship, and it was a necessary conundrum and a moment for them to remember why they chose each other in the first place.
5Bartolomew Kuma Witnesses His Father’s Death
Freedom Comes At A Price
Kuma’s story is one of the most tragic and unforgettable backstories One Piece has ever revealed. Kuma belonged to a bloodline that is regarded as an abomination by the Celestial Dragons, and for that reason, his whole family was enslaved.
Kuma’s unfortunate story did not end there. He also witnessed his father’s death at the hands of a Celestial Dragon.
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He never knew peace as a child, and even with all the sadness he endured, he still turned out to be a good man. So, even with his role in the World Government, when I think of Kuma now, all I think of is a good man and a father who never stopped fighting.
4The Final Moment Between Corazon and Law
He Died So Law Could Live
Fans did not get to know Corazon for long, but in the short span of flashbacks, Oda made us fall in love with the clumsy and kind Corazon. He was a man trying desperately to save a sick boy from the claws of his evil brother, Doflamingo.
Law was on the verge of death till Corazon found the Ope Ope no Mi Devil Fruit and saved him with it. However, their relationship was short-lived because Doflamingo shot Law to his death when he found out he was a mole.
In his final moments, Corazon used his Nagi Nagi no Mi devil fruit to protect Law by taking his voice and making sure he had a second chance at life. The silence in that scene was loud, and Corazon died alone in the snow, which was a sad ending to a good man.
3Luffy Sees The Akazaya Nine’s Bloodied Body At Onigashima
The Man Who Carried the Land of Wano on His Back
When Luffy saw the Akazaya Nine barely clinging to life and in shame for failing their promise to Oden, his serious look emerged. Kinemon begged Luffy to helpWano, and in this vein, he laid the last piece of Oden’s will into Luffy’s hands.
In that moment, the will of Oden, the prophecy of Toki, and every starving person in the country became Luffy’s burden, and this fueled his determination and resilience to fight Kaido till the end. Hence, the fight is not just about fulfilling Oden’s will, but to fulfill the promise made to friends like Kinemon and Otama, as well as to kill the oppression in Wano.
2Robin’s Declaration To Live At Enies Lobby
The Cry That Shattered A Lifetime Of Pain
Robin’s childhood was tragic; her home was burned to the ground, and she lost everyone during the annihilation of Ohara. She was labeled a wanted criminal as a child, and she survived as a child by expecting betrayal because that’s all the world has always shown her.
Hence, when the World Government came for her at Water 7, she did not bother to resist because she believed her very existence brought destruction to anyone she cared about. At Enies Lobby, the Straw Hats crew came for her, but she still resisted their help and pushed them away.
However, when she finally screamed that she wanted to live, it was the first time she believed she deserved to be saved. For someone who has only known betrayal, this moment was not only sad but also beautiful.
1Oden’s Execution
A Fool In The Eyes Of Many But a Hero In The End
For five years, Kozuki Oden swallowed his pride, danced naked in the streets of Wano, and bore the hatred of the people he loved. When he finally decided to fight Kaido and Orochi for their atrocities in his country, he lost.
Hence, Kaido wanted to make a spectacle of his death, so he executed him in a pot of boiling oil. Oden carried his retainers for one hour while he boiled in the oil and helped them escape.
When Oden faced his death, he did not beg for his life; he died a hero and with a smile on his face.
One Piece is one of the longest-running anime, following Monkey D. Luffy and the adventures of his crew, the Straw Hat Pirates.
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