One Piece 25th Anniversary Special Goes Viral For Perfectly Understanding Fandom
Every now and again, there are glorious moments when a fandom is given an incredible gift—a gift so wonderful, it makes you thankful for your fandom. One Piece is shockingly good at this. Over the last 27 years, the ever-increasing fandom will be sent into ecstasy over hallmark chapters, gorgeous sequences of animation, epic films, and the world’s first decent live-action adaptation. But even among those events, ONE PIECE FAN LETTER stands out.
In the weeks leading up to ONE PIECE FAN LETTER, the anime’s 25th anniversary special, Toei Animation held their cards very close to the chest. We knew that the special would air on the 25th anniversary, to the day, of Toei’s One Piece anime and that it was based on a side-novel (not written by Eiichiro Oda) about perspectives on the Straw Hats from the point of view of normal people in One Piece‘s world.
But no one, no one, was prepared for what actually lay in store for us. ONE PIECE FAN LETTER is not only a masterpiece, it’s one of the greatest pieces of One Piece media ever released.
And that’s not just one writer’s opinion, either. Within the span of a single day, ONE PIECE FAN LETTER rocketed up the charts of MyAnimeList.com, not only replacing Attack on Titan‘s finale to become the highest-rated anime special of all time, but ranking second to only Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End as the highest-rated piece of anime media ever made.
When you watch FAN LETTER, the reason it’s so incredible is clear: never has a single half hour of television so clearly understood its audience. Never has a celebration of fandom been so perfect.
For the fandom
Granted, there were signs that ONE PIECE FAN LETTER would be good. Director Megumi Ishitani is an absolute visionary. Every contribution she’s made to the series—from the unforgettable adaptation of the manga’s 1000th chapter to One Piece‘s current opening, which is arguably its best-ever—has pushed the boundaries of what’s possible within the One Piece anime for the better.
Ishitani’s work is characterized by a level of density and detail which only the most skilled directors could make readable. All of this kinetic movement effuses a deep love for One Piece, down to every line. You simply feel this love flowing out of your screen. It’s so masterfully done that watching an Ishitani sequence evokes pride—pride that you’re a fan of this series, too.
This same sensation fills every second of ONE PIECE FAN LETTER. It’s a story about regular people who live within the world of One Piece, people who aren’t even “important” enough to the main story to give proper names. But each of these new characters is a perfect analogue for the actual, real-world One Piece fandom: from the big, burly Navy officer who squeals at the cuteness of his drawer full of Tony Tony Chopper pictures, to the woman disappointed she’s missing out on a fandom event (ie, Brook’s concert), to the table of guys arguing about who’s the best swordsman, to the Navy grunt who is able to find courage after watching Luffy’s example.
I’ve seen some version of all of these scenes in real life, and/or felt it myself. But perhaps no character hit me quite as hard as the main character, a 15-year-old girl who’s a Nami mega-fan. Towards the beginning of the special, she articulates why she’s so drawn to Nami: “Nami is so precious to me because she makes me think I can have adventures, too.”
It’s me
Shonen series are typically filled to the brim with the strong and powerful. One Piece is, too. But it distinguishes itself because it makes space for characters who can flourish in the world for other reasons, be it their smarts, their charisma, their sheer determination, or, in Buggy’s case, their incredible ability to fail upwards. And it provides that space for both its female and male characters.
As such, there is a One Piece character for everyone. Somewhere in its literal thousands of characters, there’s someone who people feel either a kinship with or aspire to be more like. And because of the empathetic, character-driven way One Piece is written, these characters feel like your actual friends, which is why the fandom’s feelings of connection with the series are so intense.
I’ve met people all over the world who have been so touched by One Piece, they’ve changed themselves in some way: the man who was growing a mustache to be like Gold Roger, the multiple people I’ve met with “DEATH” tattooed on their fingers like Trafalgar Law. I myself bought my first-ever bikini because I aspired toward Nami’s confidence.
ONE PIECE FAN LETTER is actually a two-way fan letter. The special understands and communicates the reasons why people love not just One Piece as a whole, but the Straw Hats in particular. But it also feels like a “thank you” letter from Toei back to us, the fans.
I am so glad I am a One Piece fan.
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