One Piece Officially Sets a Record No Other Anime Has—Dragon Ball and Naruto Lag Far Behind
Decades of debate over anime’s big three — One Piece, Naruto, Dragon Ball — just hit a decisive moment: One Piece has blown past its rivals, cementing a legacy that leaves the rest in its wake.
Anime fans love a good scoreboard, and for years the big three in that conversation have been One Piece, Naruto, and Dragon Ball. Different eras, different vibes. But if you go by a new stat making the rounds, One Piece isn’t just ahead — it’s lapping the field.
The claim
@unonumero_56 on X: "One Piece is the only series or TV show in the world with 257 episodes rated 9.0 or higher on IMDb."
If that tally is accurate, it would make One Piece the lone member of a very exclusive club. Yes, IMDb scores are user-driven and can shift week to week, but the sheer volume here is the story.
Why this hits different
People have been comparing One Piece, Naruto, and Dragon Ball forever. All three are giants. But a mountain of 9.0+ episodes suggests One Piece has delivered a level of consistency over more than two decades that the others just haven’t matched.
- The number: 257 One Piece episodes at 9.0 or above on IMDb, which (per that X post) no other series or TV show has done.
- Longevity matters: Across 20+ years, the show has stayed broadly beloved — not easy for any weekly anime.
- It wasn’t instant: The early arcs didn’t rack up tons of 9.0s; the post–time skip era saw a major quality surge and some of the most celebrated episodes in the run.
- Why it works: Big emotional payoffs, long-game character arcs, and set pieces that actually feel earned. Credit where it’s due — Eiichiro Oda’s planning on the page and Toei Animation’s execution on screen show real care in making every episode matter inside the larger story.
- Bold read: It’s hard to imagine anyone topping a 257-episode 9.0+ stack anytime soon.
The consistency flex (and the pressure that comes with it)
Records are great. They also raise the bar. One Piece has entered its final saga, and the ending is going to decide how the whole thing is remembered. The show now has to pay off mysteries it’s been teasing for more than twenty years, from the actual One Piece treasure to the fate of the world. The landing has to tie together decades of clues, character growth, and emotional beats in a way that feels worthy of the trip.
The good news: recent arcs have inspired a lot of confidence. Fans trust Oda to stick it, and the anime can carry that momentum all the way through. That’s the hope — a finale that matches the legacy the series has built.
Quick numbers check
The series overall sits at 9.0/10 on IMDb, and MyAnimeList lists it at 8.73. Those scores move, but they track with the general point: the audience response is sky-high.
Where to watch
One Piece is currently streaming on Crunchyroll.
Do you think One Piece can keep up this level and deliver an ending that actually sticks? I want the optimistic answer, but go ahead — convince me.