Summary
- Cover Stories in One Piece provide unique insights on minor characters and unresolved plot threads.
- The stories are beloved by fans for expanding the world-building of the series.
- These supplemental arcs offer essential background information and fun adventures for characters from the main storyline.
Eiichiro Oda introduced a truly unique concept to his critically acclaimed manga series, One Piece: Cover Stories, a bunch of supplemental story arcs that are told through the first pages of different specific chapters. With this simple but effective idea, Oda has been able to tell readers what is happening in the rest of the world while the Straw Hat Pirates are busy dealing with their current conflict.
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There are currently over 18 Cover Stories in existence, and a good number of them have become quite popular among fans, who endlessly praise them for explaining what happened to their favorite characters and further expanding on the series’ signature world-building. But what are the absolute best Cover Stories in all of One Piece?
10 Gedatsu's Accidental Blue-Sea Life
Seamlessly Connects Minor Characters From Two Different Arcs
- Chapters: 314 to 348
In this bizarre tale, Gedatsu, one of Enel’s priests from the Skypiea Arc, falls down from the sky islands and meets Koza’s uncle, Goro. After a fun series of events – which include a fight with a giant mole known as the Dirt Boss – they both find hot water and open the Ukkari Hot-Spring Island, a luxurious resort that is so popular it is even visited by the Arabasta royalty.
This is a hilarious and weirdly charismatic story that manages to connect two minor characters from completely separate arcs in a creative way, not to mention that it also shows how life is returning to normal in Arabasta after the intense war against Baroque Works.
9 Caribou's Kehihihihi in the New World
Showing Another Side Of A Highly Controversial Character
- Chapters: 674 to 731
When Caribou appeared in the Wano Country Arc, many fans were left wondering how he even got there after the events of the Fish-Man Island Arc. The anime explained it with a brief flashback, but this is actually thoroughly explained in the manga in the form of a Cover Story. And it’s actually quite interesting.
Despite being a highly disliked character, Caribou really shines in this cover story, in which he gets mistaken for Gaburu, the revolutionary leader of an island. He even helps the citizens of the island and manages to defeat Scotch, a member of the Beasts Pirates, in combat. Caribou eventually gets defeated by X-Drake, who takes him away to Wano.
8 "Gang" Bege's Oh My Family
Closed Off A Loose Plot Thread From The Whole Cake Island Arc
- Chapters: 948 to 994
Since she first appeared during the Thriller Bark Arc, Lola was the very first member of the Big Mom Pirates to ever be introduced to the story. So the fact that readers never got to see her reunite with her twin sister Chiffon during the Whole Cake Island Arc was a bit disappointing. Fortunately, this was actually rectified during this Cover Story, which is led by Chiffon’s husband, Capone “Gang” Bege.
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Bege and his crew are a group of likable characters, so getting to see them again is really fun, especially since this story takes place in Dressrosa, so fans get to see what was going on in that iconic location. Lola and Chiffon not only get to reunite once again, but they also meet their father, Pound, who was stranded in the middle of the sea. This cover story also introduced SWORD’s Prince Grus and Kujaku, way before their first official appearance in the main story.
7 The Stories of the Self-Proclaimed Straw Hat Grand Fleet
The Straw Hat Grand Fleet Are Leaving Their Mark On The World
- Chapters: 864 to 919
The concept of the Straw Hat Grand Fleet was a brilliant decision by Oda, but some fans feel that this group of pirate allies still haven’t played an important part in the story after the Dressrosa Arc. But this is exactly what Cover Stories were made for, as this one showed readers what they were all doing while the Straw Hats were on Whole Cake Island and Wano.
Sai gets married to Baby 5, the Tontatta Pirates get a new ship and begin their trip to the Levely, Hajrudin gathers the powerful New Giant Warrior Pirates and Bartolomeo even burns down the Red Hair Pirates’ flag in one of Shanks’ territories. It’s all really compelling, not to mention that recent developments demonstrate that the actions of the Grand Fleet are going to be very important to the main story in the near future.
6 Miss Goldenweek's "Operation: Meet Baroque Works"
The Other Members Of Baroque Works Get Happy Endings
- Chapters: 359 to 413
Baroque Works featured a lot of powerful and complex characters that quickly became fan-favorites. And, while Sir Crocodile, Daz Bones, Mr. 3 and Bon Clay were featured in subsequent arcs set after the Arabasta Arc, the other members are nowhere to be seen in the main story. This is because their fates were revealed in this Cover Story, which stars Miss Goldenweek.
This arc is of great importance for two reasons: It explains how the four Baroque Works agents who are still relevant to the plot ended up in Impel Down, and it gives the other ones, like Mr. 5, Miss Valentine, Miss Doublefinger and the titular Miss Goldenweek, satisfying resolutions. But the most delightful part of this Cover Story is Marianne’s Rainbow of Dreams technique, which reveals her colleagues’ deepest desires in a really fun scene.
5 CP9's Independent Report
Explained How CP9 Recovered From Their Injuries And Ended Up In CP0
- Chapters: 359 to 413
CP9 is arguably one of the most dangerous and memorable groups of antagonists that the Straw Hat Pirates ever had to face. So, when Rob Lucci and his teammates appeared in the story once again, many fans were left wondering how they recovered from their injuries, avoided dying during the Buster Call of Enies Lobby and were promoted to CP0.
All of these burning questions were answered in their own Cover Story, which not only reveals they managed to escape thanks to Blueno’s Doa Doa No Mi, but also shows them using their different animal-based powers to gather money in order to pay for Rob Lucci’s hospital bills. This was really endearing and refreshing, since it proved that the members of CP9 actually care for each other, despite their violent tendencies. Because of this, getting to see them fight against the Marines was surprisingly satisfying.
4 Diary of Koby-Meppo
A Cover Story So Important, It Even Got Animated
- Chapters: 83 to 119
- Episodes: 68 and 69
The second Cover Story in the series is actually one of the most important ones, because it tells the backstory of Koby and Helmeppo’s immense growth. Koby, in particular, is one of One Piece’s most significant characters, since he was introduced in the second chapter of the manga, so it is really fulfilling to finally witness what he did in the Marines after he got separated from Luffy early on in the story.
But this Cover Story is also crucial for Helmeppo’s development: He went from spoiled brat to respected Marine, and it all began when he befriended Koby and rebelled against his father. Furthermore, Diary of Koby-Meppo also introduced Monkey D. Garp, way before he met up with Luffy in Enies Lobby. This Cover Story is ultimately so relevant that it's one of the very few ones that was actually adapted into the anime.
3 From the Decks of the World
Showed What Happened To Everyone After The Time Skip
- Chapters: 613 to 668
The 2-year time skip is one of the biggest events in all of One Piece, as the Straw Hat Pirates were forced to grow, learn more and get stronger in order to begin their dangerous journey into the New World. But, obviously, they were not the only ones who changed in the span of 2 years, and this Cover Story tells fans what other important characters were up to.
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There’s a lot of crucial information in this Cover Story that fans who missed out on it are going to be unaware of: Chouchou opened up his own pet food shop, Gaimon has a girlfriend now, Kaya is still studying to become a doctor, Crocus meets up with a mysterious figure, Hannyabal became the new warden of Impel Down and much more. The most important thing about this Cover Stort is that it revealed Bon Clay is still very alive, and is now thriving as the New Queen of Level 5.5 in Impel Down.
2 Enel's Great Space Operations
Enel’s New Adventure Revealed A Lot About The World Of One Piece
- Chapters: 428 to 474
For such a powerful and imposing antagonist, it’s very shocking that Enel never made another appearance in the main plot of One Piece. Fortunately, Oda has revealed his whereabouts to readers in the form of this Cover Story, and it is definitely one of the most incredible stories set within this world.
With the help of Maxim, Enel finally reaches the moon, where he helps a bunch of small robots known as Automata by defeating a threatening crew of Space Pirates. That’s right, this Cover Story reveals that Enel not only achieved his goal, but also that the moon is inhabited by eccentric beings, including Space Pirates. And if that wasn’t enough, he also finds out that Skypieans, Shandians and Birkans all originate from the moon, and that his ancestors traveled down to Earth many years in the past.
1 Germa 66's Ahh... An Emotionless Excursion
A Cover Story That Perfectly Complements The Arc It Accompanies
- Chapters: 1035 to 1078
At first glance, this seems like a normal Cover Story that tells readers what happened to Judge, Germa 66 and Caesar Clown after the events of the Whole Cake Island Arc, and it was definitely satisfying to finally find out their whereabouts after so many years. But, slowly and brilliantly, this Cover Story ends up revealing a lot of surprising information that is related to the arc it was published alongside of: the Egghead Arc.
As Germa 66 was escaping from Whole Cake Island, the Blackbeard Pirates arrived and kidnapped Charlotte Pudding, who would appear in the very same chapter that this cover was featured in. This makes it the first ever Cover Story with a plot that directly connects with the main story arc. And that was just beginning: After Judge’s and Caesar Clown’s reunion, a flashback of the formation (and disbandment) of MADS is shown exclusively via this cover story, which happens around the time that Doctor Vegapunk was introduced and Stussy was revealed to be a clone. The Egghead Arc was enhanced by An Emotionless Excursion, and vice versa.
- Release Date
- October 20, 1999
- Network
- Fuji TV
- Directors
- Hiroaki Miyamoto, Konosuke Uda, Junji Shimizu, Satoshi Itō, Munehisa Sakai, Katsumi Tokoro, Yutaka Nakajima, Yoshihiro Ueda, Kenichi Takeshita, Yoko Ikeda, Ryota Nakamura, Hiroyuki Kakudou, Takahiro Imamura, Toshihiro Maeya, Yûji Endô, Nozomu Shishido, Hidehiko Kadota, Sumio Watanabe, Harume Kosaka, Yasuhiro Tanabe, Yukihiko Nakao, Keisuke Onishi, Junichi Fujise, Hiroyuki Satou
Cast
-
Mayumi TanakaMonkey D. Luffy (voice) -
Kazuya NakaiRoronoa Zoro (voice)
WHERE TO WATCH
- Seasons
- 21
- Studio
- Toei Animation
- Creator
- Eiichiro Oda
- Streaming Service(s)
- Crunchyroll, Netflix, Hulu, Pluto TV
