The Wano Country Arc represents One Piece at its most ambitious—and most divisive. Oda’s samurai epic spans over 150 chapters/episodes, introduces dozens of characters, and contains some of the series’ highest highs alongside frustrating pacing issues. As the arc concludes, here’s our complete assessment of what Wano achieved and where it fell short.
The Scope of Wano
Years in the Making
Oda foreshadowed Wano for decades. Ryuma’s zombie in Thriller Bark, the samurai at Punk Hazard, Kin’emon’s introduction—all built toward this arc. When the Straw Hats finally reached Wano, expectations were impossibly high. The arc needed to deliver on years of buildup.
Massive Character Roster
Wano juggles more characters than any previous arc. The Straw Hats, Heart Pirates, Kid Pirates, Nine Red Scabbards, Beast Pirates hierarchy, Big Mom Pirates, Yamato, Shinobu, Momonosuke, Tama, citizens of Wano—tracking everyone requires dedicated attention. Some characters inevitably receive less development than they deserve.
Structural Ambition
The arc divides into distinct acts modeled on kabuki theater structure. This formal experimentation creates clear narrative phases but also contributes to the arc’s extreme length.
What Wano Achieved
Luffy’s Growth
Luffy’s development from defeated by Kaido to defeating Kaido represents his most significant power growth since the timeskip. His mastery of Advanced Conqueror’s Haki, Gear 5’s awakening, and the revelation of his true Devil Fruit (Hito Hito no Mi, Model: Nika) redefine his potential. The protagonist emerges from Wano as genuine Yonko candidate.
Gear 5: Peak One Piece
The Gear 5 reveal might be One Piece’s greatest moment. Luffy’s transformation into the embodiment of liberation—cartoonish, joyful, impossibly creative—captures everything the series represents. The animation in the anime adaptation elevated it further. This single sequence justified years of buildup.
Zoro’s Lineage
Zoro’s connection to Shimotsuki clan and his confrontation with King provided deserved focus. His unlocking of Advanced Conqueror’s Haki places him definitively in the series’ top tier. The Enma storyline gave emotional weight to power progression.
Oden’s Flashback
The extended Oden flashback—covering his adventures with Whitebeard and Roger, his sacrifice for Wano—stands among One Piece’s best material. Oden’s character, the Laugh Tale revelation, Roger’s discovery of Joy Boy’s promise—this flashback enriched the entire series’ mythology.
Animation Quality
Toei’s anime adaptation of Wano represents their best work on One Piece. Episode 1015 (Roof Piece), Episode 1033 (Zoro vs King), Episode 1071 (Gear 5)—these episodes rival theatrical animation quality. The studio’s investment in Wano’s climactic moments paid off spectacularly.
Where Wano Struggled
Pacing Problems
Wano is simply too long. Extended setup in Acts 1 and 2, repetitive Onigashima battle sequences, and questionable chapter allocation created pacing fatigue. The raid on Onigashima alone took over two years weekly—testing reader patience.
The anime’s pacing exacerbates manga issues. Extended reaction shots, slow episode progression, and padding make anime Wano feel even longer than its chapter count suggests.
Underdeveloped Plotlines
Several promised developments fell flat. The Numbers barely mattered. Big Mom’s defeat felt anticlimactic. Certain Scabbards received minimal combat focus. Kaido’s crew, despite extensive introduction, became fodder by arc’s end.
Kaido’s Backstory
For an antagonist built up across hundreds of chapters, Kaido received surprisingly shallow flashback content. His motivations—wanting to die gloriously, believing in Joyboy’s return—are clear but underdeveloped compared to previous major villains. Doflamingo and Big Mom received more extensive psychological exploration.
Death Fake-Outs
One Piece rarely kills characters, but Wano’s fake-out deaths became frustrating. Characters surviving situations that clearly should have killed them undercuts dramatic tension. When no one meaningfully dies, death threats lose weight.
Key Battles Assessment
Roof Piece: Peak Combat
The Supernovas vs Kaido and Big Mom sequence (“Roof Piece”) represents One Piece combat at its finest. The five versus two dynamic, the escalating stakes, the individual showcase moments—this section delivers everything fans wanted.
Luffy vs Kaido: Satisfying Conclusion
Despite some pacing issues, Luffy’s final battle with Kaido earns its emotional payoff. The punch that liberates Wano—enhanced by Gear 5’s absurdity—provides cathartic conclusion to the arc’s central conflict.
Zoro vs King: Style Excellence
Zoro’s battle against King showcases his swordsmanship evolution. The fight’s choreography, Zoro’s power-ups, and King’s revealed history create compelling encounter. One of the arc’s best individual battles.
Sanji vs Queen: Character Development
Sanji’s fight against Queen addresses his Germa heritage directly. His rejection of emotionless power while embracing certain enhancements provides character resolution. The battle balances action with meaningful development.
Thematic Resolution
Liberation
Wano’s core theme—liberation from oppression—reaches full expression through Luffy’s Gear 5. The Nika fruit’s nature as “most ridiculous power in the world” that “brings smiles wherever it goes” connects Luffy’s joy to his revolutionary potential.
The New Generation
Wano firmly establishes the Worst Generation as genuine powers. Luffy, Kid, and Law defeating two Yonko proves the generational shift happening. The old era ends; the new era begins definitively.
Manga vs Anime Experience
Anime Advantages
The anime’s enhanced animation for key moments creates superior experience for peak scenes. Watching Gear 5 animated surpasses reading it.
Manga Advantages
Self-paced reading eliminates anime’s pacing issues. Binge-reading Wano flows better than weekly viewing. Oda’s paneling and art deserve direct appreciation.
Recommendation
Read the manga; watch key anime episodes (Roof Piece, Gear 5). This combination provides the best Wano experience.
Wano Arc Verdict
Rating: 8/10
Wano’s highest moments rank among One Piece’s best—Gear 5, Oden’s flashback, Roof Piece combat. These sequences justify the arc’s existence and advance the series meaningfully.
But Wano’s length tests patience. Pacing issues, underdeveloped elements, and questionable editorial choices prevent it from reaching Water 7 or Marineford heights. It’s excellent but flawed.
As One Piece approaches its conclusion, Wano successfully positioned pieces for the final saga. The arc served its purpose—even if it took longer than necessary to do so.