Since its first chapter was released in July 1997, Eiichiro Oda’s One Piece has captivated fans for years. The Straw Hat Pirates have continuously embarked on adventures across the seas, determined to find Gol D. Roger’s treasure. Along their journey, they have encountered a plethora of characters and visited a multitude of diverse locations.
Despite being serialized for an exceptionally long time, One Piece has continuously remained engaging and exciting for its readers and viewers. This is due to its expert combination of action, comedy, and epic elements, all set within a complex and richly developed world. Even as the story approaches its conclusion at a slow pace, there is still so much to discover and explore.
While fans have been avidly following the Straw Hat crew’s adventures for almost thirty years, within the fictional universe of One Piece, the protagonists’ journey has only spanned about three years, if not less. This relatively short timeframe may seem implausible, as the events of Oda’s captivating tale unfold at a rapid pace, constantly testing the limits of fans’ suspension of disbelief.
For fans, One Piece’s story spans decades, but in-verse, everything happens in a couple of years
How long has it been since the Straw Hats began their journey?
Luffy’s departure from Windmill Village and his journey to the sea signify the start of the East Blue Saga, in which One Piece creator Eiichiro Oda does not explicitly reveal the exact amount of time that passes. However, it is difficult to imagine that Orange Town, Syrup Village, Baratie, and Arlong Park could have taken place within just a few weeks.
After departing from Loguetown and traversing Reverse Mountain, the Straw Hats reach Whiskey Peak. The following day, they set sail once again. It took them multiple days to reach Little Garden, indicating that their journey lasted longer than a day but likely less than a week.
The Straw Hats spend a day on Drum Island, during which it is mentioned that Nami’s illness has reached its third day. Five days after their stay, they encounter Mr 2. Keeping this timeline in mind, it has been only two weeks since the Straw Hat Pirates journeyed past Reverse Mountain and entered the Grand Line.
During their journey, Zoro remarks that the crew has gone without food for four days. After traveling for one more day through the desert, the Straw Hats reach Alubarna, marking the climax of the Arabasta Saga. After defeating the Baroque Works, the protagonists take a three-day break before departing the country on the fourth day.
The journey in Jaya and Skypiea lasts for two days, following which the Straw hats spend multiple days celebrating. Subsequently, they reach Long Ring Long Land and remain anchored there for four days. Three days after, they reach Water Seven, and the next day, Nico Robin vanishes.
After rescuing Robin in Enies Lobby, the Straw Hats return to Water Seven one day later. They stay in the city for approximately a week, during which Monkey D. Garp arrives two days after their return. The following day, Franky starts constructing the Thousand Sunny, a process that takes three days.
After spending several days traveling, the Straw Hats finally arrive at Thriller Bark, leaving Water Seven behind for good. They spend one eventful day on the haunted island under the control of Gecko Moria before continuing their journey. Three days later, they depart again and spend several more days traveling until they reach Sabaody Archipelago, where they are unexpectedly separated by Bartholomew Kuma.
It has been approximately two months since the Straw Hat crew first entered the Grand Line, and no more than two and a half months since Luffy departed Windmill Village to embark on his pirate journey. Following the events at Sabaody, Luffy departs Amazon Lily with his new ally, Boa Hancock, after three days.
After a few days, they reach Impel Down and Luffy is defeated by Magellan. He receives treatment from Ivankov and the next day, a mass breakout occurs. This all happens on the same day as the events of the Paramount War in Marineford. The timeline is confirmed by the fact that six days were mentioned for Ace’s execution when Luffy first arrived in Impel Down.
After the significant battle, two weeks passed and Silvers Rayleigh paid a visit to Luffy at Amazon Lily. Together with Jinbe, they made their way to Marineford. Following this, the narrative shifts its focus to the rest of the Straw Hats, revealing that Franky has been absent for almost a month. Overall, the journey through the Grand Line lasted approximately three months.
The two-year time skip, during which each member of the Straw Hat Pirates trains under a different mentor on various islands, is about to commence. It is worth noting that this period of time far surpasses the amount of time the Straw Hats spent together as a crew.
Interestingly, following the time skip, the storytelling picks up even more speed. The Straw Hats quickly reunite at Sabaody, journey to Fish-Man Island, and depart within a matter of days. The events on Punk Hazard and Dressrosa also occur within a similar timeframe.
After the Dressrosa Arc concludes, the Straw Hats reach Zou and discover the fate of Sanji. Soon after, Luffy, Nami, Chopper, and Brook set sail for Whole Cake Island to rescue their crewmate, while Zoro and the rest make their way to Wano with the goal of infiltrating the country.
The journey to Big Mom’s residence takes a few days, and their exploits in the same destination conclude three days afterwards. This is followed by the Wano Arc, which begins after a couple of days of travel to the country. The events of this epic arc, which include Luffy’s incarceration in Udon, the planning for the Onigashima Raid, and the ultimate showdown, transpire over the course of two weeks.
Following that, the Straw Hats, specifically Luffy and Zoro, take a week to rest and recuperate from their exhaustion and wounds. A few days afterwards, the crew departs Wano and continues their journey for several more days until they reach Egghead.
Despite being the location of a massive incident that could potentially impact the world’s balance, Dr. Vegapunk’s futuristic island is specifically mentioned to have its conclusion the day after the Straw Hats’ arrival on Egghead.
Therefore, although it is impossible to determine an exact estimate, the duration of the Straw Hats’ post-time skip adventure can be roughly calculated as a few months. This indicates that their overall journey as a crew lasted approximately two and a half years, with two of those years occurring off-screen while the crew was separated.
A More Harmonious Timeframe for a Better One Piece Narrative
Despite the story’s remarkable length and objectively slow pace, one of the biggest criticisms of the One Piece franchise is the extreme speed at which events occur in-verse. This is especially evident after the time skip, as the Straw Hat crew’s rapid growth and world-changing accomplishments can feel almost unbelievable to some.
In a matter of weeks, Monkey D. Luffy, the main character, transformed from being significantly weaker than Katakuri to surpassing Kaido. This rapid growth rate is unprecedented and surpasses that of even the most renowned figures in the One Piece universe.
Despite the fact that it took Kaido, Big Mom, Blackbeard, and others several decades to reach the status of Yonko, Luffy was able to achieve it at the young age of 19, just over two years after embarking on his journey as a pirate. With his destiny as the reincarnation of Joy Boy and his determination to find the One Piece, Luffy is poised to quickly surpass even higher ranks and become the remarkably young Pirate King.
Similarly, Roronoa Zoro, known as the “Pirate Hunter”and Luffy’s right-hand man, will not only surpass but also exceed the strength of the World’s Strongest Swordsman, Dracule Mihawk, in just over two years, making the progress seem too rapid.
Despite the conclusive saga of the series, the Straw Hat crew’s journey seemed to reach its final stretch too quickly. This lack of time for development makes their adventure less realistic, as within the story, significant events occur rapidly without proper time for reflection. In contrast, fans who have been following the story for decades need years to see the progression in real life.
It is evident that the duration of off-screen fights lasting for days, while every on-screen battle only lasts minutes or, at most, hours, contributes to the overall confusion and raises doubts about the time management in the One Piece series among fans.
The discrepancy between the fast-paced events and the slow pace of the serialization can be disorienting. A more suitable and cohesive timeline would enhance the storytelling of One Piece, providing a more realistic portrayal of the Straw Hats’ extraordinary achievements within the established world of the franchise and creating a more authentic pirate journey.
To allow for more time for training and skill improvement between battles, the arcs could be spread out over a longer period of time, potentially spanning several days or even weeks instead of being condensed into a single day. Additionally, extending the duration of island-to-island travels to months rather than just a few days would also be beneficial.
Currently, Luffy has spent more time with Rayleigh than with any other member of his crew, including Zoro and Nami. This is also true for the rest of the Straw Hats, as their individual time with their mentors during the two-year time skip far surpasses the time they spent together as a crew in One Piece.
Despite the relatively short time they have been together, the Straw Hat Pirates have a close bond. This is partly due to the fact that they have faced life-threatening situations together, which has helped strengthen their trust in each other. However, with more time together, their bond would undoubtedly become even stronger.
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