New to 'One Piece'? Your ultimate guide to the pirate adventure

One Piece can feel intimidating — over 25 years on air, 1,125+ episodes, and counting. Most of us would groan and ask, where do you even begin? But that’s exactly how fandoms are made. Ask any Star Trek fan — they’ve journeyed through decades of series, reboots, and films, and now the universe is part of their lives.

- By Lakshana N. Palat Assistant Features Editor

So why not give One Piece a shot? With the anime and manga at peak arcs — Egghead Island for the anime and Elbaf for the manga — there’s never been a better time to climb aboard the pirate ship.

Created by Eiichiro Oda and running since 1997, One Piece follows Monkey D. Luffy, a rubber-bodied, adventure-obsessed teen aiming to become the Pirate King. Along the way, he builds a motley

Running since 1997, One Piece follows Monkey D. Luffy, a rubber-bodied, adventure-obsessed teen aiming to be the Pirate King.

crew — the Straw Hat Pirates — including swordsman Zoro, navigator Nami, sharpshooter Usopp, and flirtatious cook Sanji.