Most long-running shonen anime — especially those released during the 2000s — are chock-full of filler episodes. However, One Piece, one of the most popular franchises in anime history, currently sits over 1000 total episodes, and less than 10% of them consist of non-canon material.
Despite featuring relatively few filler episodes, One Piece still includes a variety of anime-only characters that leave their mark on the series. Whether they appear in a single episode, pop up sporadically throughout a filler arc, or serve as the antagonist of a feature-length film, these characters should have been included within the series’ canon.
10 Rasa
Nefertari Vivi and the rest of the royal family are excellent monarchs, but the issues plaguing Alabasta Kingdom are far outside their control. Crocodile and Baroque Works purposefully intensify the kingdom’s already-harsh climate, and as a result, citizens throughout Alabasta are suffering. One of these citizens, Rasa, is potentially the best anime-only character to appear in all One Piece.
Rasa grew up in Yuba before her village was ultimately buried under sand by raging sandstorms — since leaving the village, she’s worked as the navigator for the Barbar Pirates. During the events of the Alabasta Arc, Rasa meets Vivi and the Straw Hat Pirates, expressing her anger and frustration with the future queen of Alabasta Kingdom. The Barbar pirate’s impassioned monologue touches on many of the arc’s biggest themes and solidifies her place among the best filler characters in anime history.
9 Apis
While many of One Piece‘s filler episodes make no effort to fit into the series’ established timeline, the Warship Island Arc is proof that this isn’t always the case. The eight-episode sequence falls in between the Loguetown and Reverse Mountain Arcs without causing any notable issues in One Piece‘s continuity. During the arc, the Straw Hat Pirates encounter Apis, an adorable young girl who is determined to protect the ancient dragon on her island.
Apis consumed the Whisper-Whisper Fruit, granting her the ability to communicate with animals. This Devil Fruit seems to have some significant overlap with the Voice of All Things, so seeing it introduced to One Piece‘s canon would potentially shed some light on one of the series’ biggest mysteries. In addition to her unique Devil Fruit, Apis is also one of few anime-only characters to appear in multiple arcs or films, having made a brief cameo in One Piece: Stampede.
8 Vice Admiral Jonathan
For the most part, anime watchers consider filler episodes to be lesser products than their canonical counterparts. However, in the case of One Piece‘s G-8 Arc, it’s so entertaining that many fans still hold it in high regard. The sequence takes place immediately after the Skypiea Arc, and it follows the Straw Hat Pirates’ efforts to escape the G-8 Marine Base and its military commander, Vice Admiral Jonathan.
Vice Admiral Jonathan’s laid-back demeanor makes him one of the most unique villains in One Piece — canon or otherwise. Although his Laissez-faire style of leadership ultimately allows the Straw Hat Pirates to escape the G-8 Military Base, he is popular enough to reappear multiple times in subsequent arcs and films.
7 Mad Treasure
In the lead-up to One Piece Film: Gold, the franchise released a made-for-TV special titled Heart of Gold. This special follows the Straw Hat Pirates’ efforts to defeat Mad Treasure, a notorious treasure hunter hired to find an elusive substance known as “Pure Gold.”
Much like bounty hunters, few treasure hunters are seen during the canonical events of One Piece. Adding someone like Mad Treasure to the series’ canon would be a fun way to diversify its cast while also providing a fun connection to the events of One Piece Film: Gold.
6 Puzzle
Prior to the introduction of Haki, the most powerful One Piece characters are generally Devil Fruit users, Marines, or swordsmen. However, Puzzle represents one of the few instances where this isn’t the case — the captain of the Phoenix Pirates earns a bounty of 100 million Berries without falling into any of these categories.
Puzzle and his crew appear during the Ice Hunter Arc, which takes place shortly after the Straw Hat Pirates’ assault on Enies Lobby. This makes them some of the first New World pirates to encounter One Piece‘s main characters, providing the Straw Hat Pirates with a glimpse of the rigors that lie ahead.
5 Gild Tesoro
First alluded to in the Heart of Gold television special, Gild Tesoro serves as the primary antagonist of One Piece Film: Gold. He owns Gran Tesoro, the largest entertainment city-ship in One Piece, and thanks to his operations, he is credited with possessing 20% of the money in the world’s circulation.
Gold Tesoro’s wealth leads him to take part in the criminal underworld, including several run-ins with Donquixote Doflamingo and his followers. Their relationship adds some much-needed depth to the Donquixote Pirates, as well as the financial operations of the Grand Line as a whole.
4 Baccarat
Gild Tesoro’s crew is chock-full of memorable characters, but none are more well-suited for his endeavors than Baccarat, the user of the Luck-Luck Fruit. She works as one of the crew’s executive members, and with her powers, she regularly fixes the odds against the customers at their casino.
The introduction of the Luck-Luck Fruit to One Piece‘s canon could introduce a wide host of possibilities, even if it is wielded by someone other than Baccarat. While that will likely never happen, she is seen walking around with Gedatsu during the events of One Piece: Stampede, so there’s still hope for future appearances.
3 Douglas Bullet
When Blackbeard and his crew cause a jailbreak at Level 6 of Impel Down, they add several of the most heinous criminals in One Piece history to their ranks. However, according to the events of One Piece: Stampede, there was one prisoner that even Marshall D. Teach was too scared to release: Douglas Bullet.
Douglas Bullet once served as part of the Roger Pirates, and it’s said that his strength, which stems from his Awakened Devil Fruit and overwhelming Conqueror’s Haki, grew to rival even that of Silvers Rayleigh. Although the identity of numerous Roger Pirates has been revealed in One Piece‘s canonical events, adding a character as strong as Douglas Bullet to their ranks would significantly bolster their credibility.
2 Daddy Masterson
Bounty hunters don’t play much of a role in One Piece‘s narrative, but given the pervasiveness of the bounty system, they obviously exert some level of influence. Daddy Masterson, a filler-only character from the Loguetown Arc, plies his craft as a bounty hunter in the East Blue, earning the respect of well-known characters like Yasopp and Vice Admiral Smoker in the process.
When the Straw Hat Pirates arrive at Loguetown, Usopp quickly clashes heads with a young girl named Carol. Her father, Daddy Masterson, intervenes on her behalf before realizing that Usopp’s father, Yasopp, is the only pirate to ever beat him in a duel. Their shared connection would have been a perfect addition to the show’s canon, so it’s a shame that Daddy the Father only appears in a single filler episode.
1 “Black Arm” Zephyr
“Black Arm” Zephyr — the titular antagonist of One Piece Film: Z — is arguably the most beloved non-canon character in the entire franchise. As a former Marine Admiral, he wields immense strength, and were it not for the combined efforts of many of One Piece‘s strongest fighters, he would have almost certainly wiped out the majority of the New World’s pirates.
Zephyr’s attachment to the Marines goes back decades, having trained Akainu, Kizaru, Aokiji, and several others during his time as an instructor. His addition to the show’s canon would provide some much-needed insight into the Marines’ operations during the reign of Gol D. Roger.