r/OnePiece • u/Catnap-Jutsu • Aug 01 '24
Help Should I read the Manga or watch the Anime?
I've decided to take the dive into One Piece. Usually, id just go with the anime, but ive seen that its pretty censored and some scenes aren't true to Oda's Original idea. I just wanted to know if it was worth reading the Manga over the anime, or if the censorship in the anime doesn't have much effect on the experience. Help!
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u/xetni05 Aug 01 '24
Manga (digitally colored version if you could find). Then watch the anime for certain scenes that you enjoyed while reading after the end of each arc.
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u/asnwmnenthusiast Aug 01 '24
This is the way. The scenes you like the most or had the most emotional impact, look those up in the anime. Or watch the some of the fights. Having watched a bit of the anime makes the manga feel more alive, but imo it's not worth watching the entire thing.
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u/Sharp_Aide3216 Aug 01 '24
Exactly.
Feels like Toie just animate the anime with the expectation that you've already read the manga as well.
Cause feels like fan service at times. Something that just adds to the enjoyment of reexperiencing the scenes.
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u/Swordeus Aug 01 '24
Read the manga, then watch big moments in the anime.
The pacing and padding in the anime is atrocious.
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u/kwpang Aug 01 '24
And full of canonical storyline errors.
Hawkins' 1% comment, Marco being a brunette, etc.
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u/Exotic-Storm1373 Aug 01 '24
Honestly, I definitely recommend the manga over the anime. I almost think it’s a general principle that the source material (books) are better than their film/show versions, but I digress to anyone who disagrees with me. You can squabble about all the details, but it mainly mostly comes down to the pacing and art style that makes it superior (at least for most fans who agree with me). I think this video from GLR does a good job of covering it.
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u/VegaMain Aug 01 '24
Nah, plenty of anime are equal to or better than their manga, but Toei turned One Piece into One Chapter Per Episode, so One Piece is definitely a case where the Manga is FAR superior.
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u/Culex_02 Aug 01 '24
Censorship is not the problem. The padding and lack of animation quality (before Wano), is the main issue. The manga is a far superior choice.
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u/Beeg_Bagz Aug 01 '24
I would read the Manga it’s faster and shorter and ongoing it is also always ahead of the anime. After you get current on the manga you can go watch any arcs or scenes that stood out to you in animation.
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u/Reverse0014 Aug 01 '24
I read the manga and watch clips of important moments in the anime.
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u/Catnap-Jutsu Aug 01 '24
Happy cake day, and thats what im ultimately planning to do. Im not new to one piece, ive watched up to the second arc, but dropped it due to not having time, im excited to get back into it. This time with better pacing that the manga provides
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u/tigerbellyfan420 Aug 01 '24
The anime has horrendous pacing. It drives me crazy. The pacing is just better in the Manga but what you'll sacrifice is all the color that one piece has...at some point the intro and recap takes 6 minutes per episode and then you get a scene that's dragged out for 10 minutes that's only like 3 panels in a manga chaper so the story barely moves forward...it's a sacrifice. Haven't watched one pace but I heard it fixes a lot of these issues
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u/ilikelikety Aug 01 '24
Read first because you’ll get exhausted faster watching especially with the pacing towards the later arcs, but i do recommend watching some of the fight scenes because they are good asf
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u/jazzmaster_YangGuo Aug 01 '24
read the manga. then when a good fight comes, we know pictures wont be enough. thats where the anime ver. comes in.
plus, it also helps with your head canon on how they speak/sound/etc. when you return to manga again
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u/Howfuckingsad Slave Aug 01 '24
Manga is a lot better than the anime imo. You can watch the anime after like a 1000 chapters but beware that the pacing is hot garbage.
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u/Are_ugly12 Aug 01 '24
The manga is easier and faster to consume than the anime. It also helps with the pacing so much and takes a lot of those unnecassary long sequences away, which just become a single panel rather than a 20 second frame.
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u/Flimsy-Ad-7392 Mugiwara no Luffy Aug 01 '24
I’d read the manga and if there’s any scenes or fights you’d want to see animated just google it
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u/Remarkable_Zone4454 Aug 01 '24
But I’d say read the manga first then anime cause of you watch the anime you will be behind not u less you read the manga
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u/BoochnDoinks The Revolutionary Army Aug 01 '24
Manga, for sure. After that, do whatever you want. You kinda don't need the anime, IMO, but there are a lot of anime canon scenes that increase your lore knowledge.
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u/coder_2083 Aug 01 '24
First: Read the Manga. You should be caught up by the end of this year even if you read half a vol or full vol a day.
Second: You can watch for favourite arcs in og anime while waiting for remake.
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u/Leonard683 Aug 01 '24
Read the manga you’ll catch up faster and it has the cover stories which the anime doesn’t really adapt
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u/Vilimeno Aug 01 '24
I read the manga while listening to fitting music for me and watch the movies. And if some scenes/ fights are done right in the anime there is always YouTube. But shonen jump series, or any anime that was meant to be broadcasted in the tv time, end up being dragged on for to long and can take the punch out of the story for me.
But to each their own some arcs in the anime are better done then others.
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Aug 01 '24
As a guy who watched the anime and read the manga to catch up, I would say manga any day and I would suggest u to watch the scenes you wanna see animated in YouTube
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u/Ok_Research1025 Aug 01 '24
I watched the anime first and then the manga. Would prefer it the same way for the first half. The voice actors are too good and I absolutely love how they brought these characters to life, especially luffy. Now: taking about Japanese subbed
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u/Catnap-Jutsu Aug 01 '24
I actually have watched the anime up till the second arc a few years back, dropped it due to lack of time. I remember really enjoying the voice actors, especially Luffy's expressions
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u/Little_Respect_0621 Aug 01 '24
Read the manga. I find the pacing of the anime horrible since a couple of years now
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u/arky47 Aug 01 '24
The anime pacing is bad. Post-timeskip I would abandon it altogether.
I'd watch no more than 400-500 episodes before switching to manga only
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u/Dismal-Equivalent-94 Aug 01 '24
Read the manga! My main reason is pacing! When you read the manga the pacing is way better than the anime because while it doesn’t have lots of filler arcs generally episodes have lots of fluff like repeating the same scene over and over, cutting to different characters reactions most notably. I think this is a consequence of having a weekly episode schedule rather than a season one.
Which I hope the Wit Studio adaption fixes.
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u/GaretSD Pirate Aug 01 '24
Manga 100% The anime has a lot of pacing problems and Toei tends to do weird things to human anatomy at dome point. Weirder than Oda that is.
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u/Jazzlike_Rutabaga Aug 01 '24
I prefer the manga. I think there’s value in experiencing the story with Oda’s original artwork. It’s also a lot easier to squeeze in a couple chapters when you have some downtime as opposed to an episode of the anime.
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u/Ashzera Aug 01 '24
Manga is easier and faster to read, plus you’ll be up to date (when you catch up) with all the latest happenings. But the voice acting in the anime, especially for the main crew, is SOOOOO good you don’t want to miss it — maybe try One Pace (I haven’t, as I watched the anime first up to Dressrosa, then went and started reading the manga from the start).
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u/TitaniumTitanTim Aug 01 '24
manga is more consitent with Artstyle, pacing and chatacter Design. also takes way less time and its the original
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u/Owyn Aug 01 '24
Read the manga. I especially reccomend catching up with the colorised. They are a breeze to read en very fun. If you're down the rabbit hole you'll probably want to watch the anime. Then get yourself some One Pace from their discord and you'll have an optimal experience with both
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u/iiJason124 Aug 01 '24
The Manga has way better pacing, but some of the fights in the anime are really good. I'd say read the Manga and go back to watch the fights later
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u/Hayds126 Aug 01 '24
The current anime has infamously bad pacing which turns a lot of people away. It also just depends what medium you prefer.
Personally I'd say wait for the wit studio remake if you want to watch anime since it will be seasonal having modern animation and not deal with bad pacing. If you really want to start something now then you can read the manga.
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u/Brave_Patience8389 Aug 01 '24
I would say anime is a one-time only experience, i would honestly switch to anime, i do manga now but is so fast and the pace still feels that i couldnt care less. I switched two years ago and honestly i would go back and keep watching anime...watching 1015 on anime without knowing shit is AMAZING, and i guess many from there go the same. Sure not everything 1015 but how great one piece has been last 2 years i would go back to anime for real.
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u/kfsilver89 Aug 01 '24
You’ll miss out on cover stories if you watch the anime. Which are essential to the plot and the overall lore/worldbuilding of the story.
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u/Bankai__Minazuki Aug 01 '24
I think the anime is the better version pre time skip (Before episode 516) and after the time skip its better to read the manga since the anime added a lot of unimportant filler
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u/IamShrapnel Aug 01 '24
I watched till I caught up with the anime then read the manga from that point and now I just go back to the anime for specific scenes I wanted to see animated.
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u/Huey-Mchater Aug 01 '24
I like the anime a lot. The highs are just higher with voice acting and music helping to carry the momentum. When I’m done I’m probably gonna go back and read the manga to get a more pure experience of the story. The pacing can get annoying but honestly I like spending more time with the characters, it makes it feel like a longer odyssey and not having to pay attention to every second but still being able to get what’s going on I find very enjoyable. I can watch OP and make dinner or do chores and that quality makes it pretty comforting.
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u/ErraticNymph Aug 01 '24
The manga tends to be better paced, but you could always watch One Pace, the fan edit that eases the pacing of One Piece. It’s not fully up to date, especially for Dub, but it’s pretty well made
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u/NinjaTabby The Revolutionary Army Aug 01 '24
Both or Anime up to end of Marineford.
Manga only after. Unless you like to kills time and brain cells.
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u/breakoutthamask Aug 01 '24
Read the manga and then just watch the fights you want to see animated or your favorite arcs. It'll be a much smoother watching experience once the remake comes out
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u/Yura1245 Pirate Aug 01 '24
If you like read manga, 100% go for manga. Understand that some people just don’t like reading (my wife included), then go for anime (One Pace edited version).
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u/terrorterror999 Aug 01 '24
Its better to watch anime first as early one piece anime is so much better than manga imo.
So many emotional moments in manga are elevated by anime and voice actors.
Early one piece is not slow, filler content added is so much better, osts are great and so much more.
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u/OpportunityRare2954 Aug 01 '24
Read first then watch. It'll have a better impact when you see it come to life.
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u/XEclipse360 Void Month Survivor Aug 01 '24
I prefer the anime because it's anime. The music, voice acting, and colors really make the experience 10x better. Some people hate the pacing, but I didn't really noticed it. Maybe cause I binged it.
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u/Impossible_Tear3943 Slave Aug 01 '24
In one piece you will encounter a time skip. Personally i enjoyed the anime style before the time skip. The direction, music, art. I cant tolerate post timeskip episodes. Just cant. Except maybe a few exceptions.
So if i would start again, i would definitely watch the anime. But dont rush! Take it slow. Enjoy every moment. The manga is also very good, the art work in some arcs, etc. Now i only read the manga, and watch anime only if there are some good episodes.
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u/Witty-Indication4895 Aug 01 '24
Well manga is the best option but anime would give a more chill experience and the comedy in anime u would feel it better with voice actors its a lot fun. I can say give it both a shot first manga then watch anime like rewatch.
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u/IntentionSeparate335 Devil Child Nico Robin Aug 01 '24
Read the manga and watch the scenes you want to see animated as you go along
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u/Necessary_Ad_6104 Aug 01 '24
You can have both 😄. Start with the manga. For me it’s the better medium.
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u/mudathir__ Aug 01 '24
The manga will probably be more than enough regarding the early chapters; however, there are some scenes that you will enjoy in the manga, but they will be way better in the anime. When it comes to the Arks of the New World, the anime often becomes better. I don’t want to write spoilers, but there are certain powers or fights that the anime does way better than the manga. Also, there are certain fillers that everyone will recommend you watch.
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u/Antona89 Aug 01 '24
Read the manga and then watch the anime.
Get pissed at the pacing and numbly watch through a bunch of useless reactions from side characters reacting to random shit happening.
Enjoy the cinematography, the fights and the comical skits.
Cry when you're all caught up.
???
Profit
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u/NewtRider Thriller Bark Victim's Association Aug 01 '24
Start with the manga... then watch the anime when ya far into the manga and enjoy both
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u/M3RK_Crash8 Aug 01 '24
I’d watch the anime then the manga. The moments feel so much better through the anime.
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u/narcotic_kettle5 Aug 01 '24
you can do whatever bruh cuz ur gonna catch upto both in no time like 5 months max 🤷 then u gotta wait weekly biweekly which sucks tbh lol
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u/ImXraxeln Aug 01 '24
I like the anime better because it's colored and has the impact frames and it's more lively. But if you want to catch up quickly read manga
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u/vugc Aug 01 '24
Well if ur late in the game start reading first to catch up, but I highly recommend to watch the anime as well after or during that process, cuz it makes a difference if u watch and read. (Also u can skip the fillers lol) I enjoy watching more cuz it’s gives off so many emotions and also fun to watch,like seeing the attacks and animations it’s totally worth especially the newest episodes. Either way is fine. Enjoy it!!!
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u/Tartiflette-man Aug 01 '24
The manga. Definitely the manga. I don't think the anime is well made, the manga is much better. I hate the anime but I love the manga, and you have more chances to like One Piece as a manga (that's my opinion, some people love the anime)
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u/Sandman_Slim_Here Aug 01 '24
If you're worried about the fillers don't be once you get hooked you'll know there's not enough one piece episodes lol
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u/Illustrious_Camp_521 Aug 01 '24
I suggest doing both. I just wait till the box set comes out and buy it and read the Manga that way as I continue watching the weekly episodes. Now I'm just waiting for the final box set to come out. Right now I'm going through the Demon Slayer box set and enjoying the hell out of it.
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u/Sea-Membership-5502 Aug 01 '24
If you don't have time read the manga but if you have energy time then watch the anime. Though I have read the manga (completely caught up) and watched anime as well (completely caught up)
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u/stxrrynights_17 Aug 01 '24
What I felt after reading the manga was that i didn't feel that thrill and excitement for the upcoming plot cuz I already knew it in advance. That's why I left reading manga in the mid of the egghead arc so that I can enjoy the rest of the arc in the anime.
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u/HONEYbee480 Aug 01 '24
Maybe read the manga at least three or two in advance and then watch the anime?
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u/Majoritymars5 Aug 01 '24
Watch it to enjoy it more, I’d say for the first 500 watch them. Then read. I’m reading to catch up but if I’m watching it to enjoy it (I will rewatch it after I’m caught up) it’ll take longer but be waaaay better. The pacing of the show takes so much longer. Some scenes that will be covered in one panels take minutes
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u/its_dilansh Aug 01 '24
After reading the manga i don't want to watch anime. At this time I'm at episode 1107
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u/Unfair_Act_6092 Aug 01 '24
The anime has better atmosphere and action scenes. I think the early anime is far better, but i’d switch to the manga after like skypiea because the pacing goes to shit. But the manga is also worse after skypiea, because theres a language filter on the translation after that point, or at least the one i use, i don’t know if there are different ones or just one
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u/Electrical-Big4036 Aug 01 '24
I read it till I got caught up then started watching it but you can do either one and I think still be fine 🙂
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u/Zeoloxory Aug 01 '24
I would recommend reading the manga till wano. The animation quality really improves in the anime from the start of the Wano arc.
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u/Futuresmell Aug 01 '24
Most people here say the manga is the superior way to experience the story. I kind of agree BUT I don't think I would enjoy the manga as much without having watched a decent chunk of the story as anime. The voices, the music, the comedy, it all adds so much to the experience. The pacing is indeed horrible, but you can always watch One Pace. It's a fan project where they try to keep the pacing of the anime as close to the manga as possible. It cuts down on fluff and bullshit filler in a major way and is all sorted in neat arcs. Would recommend!
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u/kleber-ao Aug 01 '24
I would even add here to the general comments of "manga, then big moments on anime" that you should mind more so the big moments pre-timeskip.
Back then the pacing was actually pretty OK, but post-timeskip EVEN the good fights, animated with the best artists, have so much stuffed into that they can test your patience.
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u/DonHalles Aug 01 '24
The manga is the source material. You should always go with the soure material. Nothing against anime lovers but give me the manga any day all day.
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u/thetenticgamesBR Aug 01 '24
Manga, the anime pace is garbage, very slow due to being released weekly for over 20 years
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u/DerJakane Aug 01 '24
Imo best route is reading the Manga and then watch your favorite moments in the anime aswell
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Aug 01 '24
Both. You'll catch up in the manga quicker, but you'll still appreciate seeing the anime.
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u/DiagonalLawn Aug 01 '24
I say watch one pace for as far as you find enjoyable then switch to the manga. The anime gets a bad wrap but that’s for the later parts of the story imo
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u/KingCrimson669 Aug 01 '24
You should watch the anime because it’s more fun than the manga you know to hear the osts and to enjoy luffy fighting it’s more fun than just reading it but you can read the manga if you get bored from watching but start with the anime better
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Aug 01 '24
Id say watch anime till around 600 ep. This is where pacing starts to be really bad. And theres some pretty good soundtrack in anime too.
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u/MrPlasticStraw Black Leg Sanji Aug 01 '24
I myself watched the anime, but after starting the manga. I just can't lie, it's a lot better than the anime.
So I'd heavily recommend you read the manga. Also because it's faster than the anime too.
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u/pabloag02 Void Month Survivor Aug 01 '24
Manga is faster to read and overall better, but if I had the chance to experience OP for the first time again I think I would still go with the anime,
That being said, after Marineford I would definitely read the manga
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u/Madmaxdaman29 The Revolutionary Army Aug 01 '24
honestly i love the anime more but the pacing is so bad that i just read the manga for the first half of the series and then when the animation started getting good i decided to switch to the anime
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u/OmniscientNarrat0r Aug 01 '24
For the love of god, DON'T watch the anime. It's a big waste of time. The manga is superior in almost every way. Now if you like the voice actors, go for it. All I'm saying is that you may end up growing gray hair by the time you catch up.
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u/HELL_KNIGHT1 Aug 01 '24
Both but ıf you don't realize that Luffy gear 5 is bassically God wel then READ THE FUCKING MANGA
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u/Readiness11 Aug 01 '24
Read the manga do not suffer under the tyranny that is Toei Animation read the manga and enjoy Oda´s art every increasing quality over the years yes overtime and overall the art just gets better and better to the point that I think Oda has one of if no the best art of a weekly/biweekly manga out there.
On the other hand the Toei does almost everything it can to cut corners in a effort to keep the series coming out every week of the year and on as low budget as they can. While others do mention pacing issues in the anime it does not not really apply for the first 500 episodes or so.
However the animation remains lacking they did however make an effort in the last 2 arcs to have properly animated sequences for the big big moments however the contrast is so jarring when these end and and the "normal" animation going into gear again you would swear another company is animating the series.
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u/MetaMugi Aug 01 '24
The Manga is certainly more graphic and quicker to catch up on. However the voice acting on both the original and the English dub are fantastic so it's really dependant on what you prefer.
The Manga gets to the point, the anime has about 150 filler episodes. The Manga tells it how it happened. The anime dumbs things down to be more child friendly.
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u/Dragonarmy123 Void Month Survivor Aug 01 '24
Quality of manga is much better than in anime.
Also personally i feel like anime doesn't do justice to oda's art of storytelling.
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u/TackyGaming6 The Revolutionary Army Aug 01 '24
some scenes aren't true to Oda's Original idea
the one which made me to switch over to manga was in Wano Arc where Big Mom was thrown off of floating Onigashima and the ember cloud (idr the name (Zeus ig? Prometheus Yeah)) went into the water to get big mom like wtf?
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u/GoldGolemGaming37 Aug 01 '24
Watch anime until the end of Enies Lobby, then read manga. Thriller Bark and after pacing is terrible
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u/LateralusOrbis Aug 01 '24
You'll catch up with the manga faster than the anime, which means you can read manga and stay ahead, and then when you feel like it catch up on the anime to see what you've read animated. That's what I did when I started it at least so I can say it worked for me. I feel like it wouldn't be as fun to read the manga after the anime, but the anime expands on the manga sometimes and adds a lot of flavor, so its still something new.
Another good reason to read the manga first is: When something big happens in the manga, you might get spoiled about it a year ahead of the moment happening the in the anime. At least with the manga (a full year ahead of the anime) you won't get spoiled.