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Explore the 10 worst One Piece gags that missed the mark. Discover how these jokes disrupt the series’ charm!
Eiichiro Oda has masterfully balanced action, drama, and comedy, making the series both thrilling and hilarious for fans. Many recurring One Piece gags have become staples of the characters’ personalities. These include Luffy’s impulsive nature, Nami’s ruthless loan shark tendencies, and Zoro’s habit of always getting lost. However, not all jokes land well. Some jokes disrupt serious moments or feel forced rather than funny. Over time, certain comedic elements have become repetitive, predictable, or even annoying for fans.
In this article, we rank the 10 worst One Piece gags, examining how they detract from the story or lose their charm over time.
10) Robin’s Morbid Humor About Death
Robin is one of the most intelligent, mysterious, and level-headed members of the Straw Hat crew. She often provides insightful knowledge, strategic thinking, and calm leadership in high-stakes situations. However, one of her longest-running gags is her dark sense of humor. She often makes casual, deadpan remarks about death, destruction, or morbid situations. This is initially funny, as it contrasts with her otherwise serious demeanor, but over time, it has become predictable and out of place.
The joke originally worked well because it played against expectations. Robin, being one of the most reserved and mature Straw Hats, suddenly making grim, ominous comments about people dying is a clever way to highlight her darker past and unique personality. However, the gag hasn’t evolved much over time, and now it often feels forced rather than a natural extension of her character.
9) Buggy’s Running Gag as a Weak Villain
Buggy the Clown has been a fan-favorite character since his introduction. He has a ridiculous personality, inflated ego, and an unbelievable amount of luck, making him one of the funniest characters in One Piece. The running gag of Buggy constantly facing dangerous situations and coming out of them successfully despite being utterly incompetent has been a staple of his character.
While it is fun to see him constantly being lucky, it would be refreshing if the character actually stepped up and proved himself. As of now, he has been named one of the Four Emperors, one of the most powerful figures in the world. However, Buggy barely has any strength to back it up.
At first, it is amazing to watch him accidentally gain followers and survive impossible situations. But now, as the Final Saga has started, the show is getting serious, and his character cannot keep up with it. If Oda gave him a moment where he shined, it could have felt a little more natural as he continued rising in rank rather than using the same joke to justify it. Buggy’s comedic charm is undeniable, but his character arc could benefit from a slight shift away from pure luck-based success.
8) Ivankov’s Over-the-Top Face Reactions
Emporio Ivankov is one of One Piece’s most flamboyant and exaggerated characters. He brings high energy, theatrical flair, and unpredictable antics to every scene he appears in. Over time, his loud outbursts snap the audience out of enjoying a serious scene. This reduces the overall impact the scene originally carried, and all the built-up tension gets destroyed.
In Impel Down, his personality fit well with the chaotic and unpredictable nature of the escape. But in later appearances, his reactions often seem forced rather than naturally funny.
One of One Piece’s greatest strengths is how it balances humor with serious storytelling. However, when Oda overplays Ivankov’s over-the-top antics, he limits Ivankov’s impact as the leader of the Kamabakka Kingdom and one of the most important revolutionaries under Dragon to just comedic relief.
7) Big Mom’s Food Rampages
Big Mom is one of the most terrifying villains in One Piece, yet her character is often reduced to food-related rampages. This undermines her threat level. Every time she craves a certain type of food, she loses control, becoming an uncontrollable force of destruction.
While the idea of a powerful Yonko being obsessed with sweets is unique, the execution feels too exaggerated and repetitive. Instead of making her a complex and unpredictable villain, these gags turn her into a one-note character. If Oda used Big Mom’s rampages more sparingly, they would feel more impactful rather than a predictable plot device.
6) Chopper Being Called a Raccoon Repeatedly
One of the oldest running gags in One Piece is Chopper constantly being mistaken for a raccoon. While it is funny the first few times, it has become a joke that never really changes. The gag plays off as Chopper always gets frustrated at being called something he’s not, which is funny in early arcs.
However, 1,000 chapters later, it feels like a lazy joke that Oda relies on too often. With so much time passing, it would make sense for more people in the world to recognize what a reindeer Zoan user looks like, especially when he is part of one of the most notorious new-generation pirate crews.
Chopper has many other comedic traits, and he is overall entertaining to watch. Also, he comes across as an extremely cute character. If the series relied on other parts of his personality, maybe the audience could get different, more nuanced jokes.
5) Usopp’s Exaggerated Lies That Rarely Pay Off
Usopp is known for his lies and exaggerated storytelling. He always talks about some achievement of his that he never actually accomplished. It was funny during his initial introductory arc, but making it a part of his personality lost its charm. As the author continued with this joke, it started feeling like an unnecessary filler rather than contributing to his actual character development.
Also, he feels like a different version of Buggy, as they get lucky every time. An example would be when Usopp earned the title of “God Usopp.” While this is hilarious and meaningful, it lacked accountability and felt unnatural. However, most of his lies never amount to anything and feel like empty dialogue.
4) Franky’s “Super” Catchphrase Overuse
Franky’s “Super!” catchphrase started as a fun way to highlight his flashy and eccentric personality. However, as time went on, the gag became more of a forced quirk than a natural comedic moment.
In Enies Lobby and Thriller Bark, his excessive posing and shouting felt funny and fitting for his over-the-top character. But by Punk Hazard and Dressrosa, Franky’s constant screaming of “SUPER!” began to feel excessive and unnecessary. In moments where subtle humor or natural reactions would have been more effective, Franky’s loud personality overshadows more nuanced comedic timing.
While Franky remains a beloved character, his gag could benefit from a little restraint. This would make his energetic moments more impactful rather than feeling forced.
3) Brook’s Skeleton Jokes (“Yohoho! I Have No—”)
Brook has a great character design; he brings wisdom and humor to the crew. However, he has overused the “Yohoho! I have no [body part]” line. The first few times, it is genuinely funny. However, by the time Brook has repeated these jokes hundreds of times, they start to feel predictable and stale. Instead of being a creative running gag, it has turned into an obligatory joke that Brook delivers every time there’s a chance.
Brook is a naturally funny character, and his charm doesn’t solely rely on skeleton puns. It would be nice to see him rely on different comedic angles rather than repeating the same joke over and over. He also has another joke where Brook asks if he could see panties. Fans did not appreciate this one, as even Sanji never dared to cross that line. This is just a distasteful joke that is ongoing, but him constantly bringing up the fact that he is a skeleton as a joke has gotten pretty boring.
2) Luffy’s Insatiable Hunger Jokes
Luffy’s endless appetite is a recurring gag that highlights his goofy and carefree nature. However, after over 1,000 chapters and episodes, the joke has lost its impact.
Early in the series, Luffy’s love for food is endearing and playful, especially in moments like the Baratie Arc, where his appetite led to comedic interactions with Sanji. But as the story progressed, the gag became more of a filler joke rather than actual humor. At times, it even disrupts serious moments, such as in Wano, where Luffy’s hunger delays important plot progression.
While One Piece thrives on character consistency, this particular joke hasn’t evolved and often feels repetitive rather than fresh.
1) Sanji’s Nosebleed Obsession
Sanji is popular for his love towards women, but his excessive nosebleeds whenever he is around an attractive woman take the joke too far. This gag is popularly used to show an exaggeration of emotion, and it served as a shorthand to display his perversion. It eventually became ridiculous to the point of breaking logic.
The best example of this is during the Fish-Man Island Arc when Sanji almost died from excessive blood loss. This instance shows a joke taken too far. It could have been lighthearted, but instead, it derailed the main story. The consequence of his nosebleed got so serious that the Straw Hats had to arrange for a blood transfusion to save him. It changed the pacing of the arc and made Sanji look overly perverted rather than his usual flirtatious behavior.
Sanji has so much to offer, but the story constantly shifts focus to his sexualized reactions. His lack of respect for women takes away his potential as a more impactful character. It is by far the most overused and most disliked gag in the series.
Conclusion
While One Piece has some of the best humor in anime, certain gags have lost their charm over time. If used more sparingly, these jokes could feel fresh again, allowing the story to maintain its balance between comedy and adventure.
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