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Very few One Piece arcs have a grandiose sense of adventure quite like Skypiea.
For some reason, a decent number of fans tend to overlook this arc. Whether it's due to slow anime pacing or lack of major deaths, Skypiea is often skipped over just to get to Water 7. With that said, those fans are definitely missing out on this One Piece arc.
Skypiea was a completely different experience by this point in the story. The Straw Hat Pirates had never been to a sky island before, so this was uncharted territory for them. Some of the story elements also become relevant later on. This is a One Piece arc that shouldn't be glossed over.
10 reasons why One Piece fans should watch the Skypiea arc
1) Gol D. Roger left a message behind
The Pirate King himself visited the sky islands. Nico Robin found out so when a random Skypiean resident pointed this out to her. Gold D. Roger wrote the following message for anybody to read:
"I will guide this text to the ends of the earth."
This plot thread is finally tied up in the Wano Country arc, where it's revealed that Kozuki Oden wrote that message for him. Eiichiro Oda spent over a decade foreshadowing this particular event.
2) Observation Haki is prominently featured
At that point in the One Piece story, Haki was a rarely-seen concept. The Observation skill also went by a different name in Skypiea. Known as Mantra, it was put to great use by Enel himself. His range covered the entire island, which was a very impressive feat by One Piece standards.
3) Going Merry is never the same again
Sadly, the Skypiea arc was when the Going Merry ship finally broke down. Whether it was going up a waterfall or taking a lot of damage, it wasn't going to last much longer. Skypiea was the final sendoff before it was destroyed in the Water 7 arc. One Piece fans should appreciate it while they can.
4) Most of the characters are really cool
Skypiea introduced some very interesting characters, such as the brave warriors from the Shandia tribe.
The most notable was Wyper, who was highly-regarded for his physical endurance and fighting style. He even briefly stopped Enel's heart with a Reject Dial. Believe it or not, there was a time when One Piece fans believed he would become a Straw Hat. Wyper definitely stood out in the Skypiea arc.
5) Sanji asks for a light
Long before Zoro said "nothing happened," Sanji had his moment in the Skypiea arc. When the Straw Hats were fighting Enel, Usopp was about to be electrocuted before Sanji took his place. Despite being burned to a crisp, Sanji thanked Enel for lighting his cigarette.
It was a great moment that solidified his place within the Straw Hats. Sanji could always be counted on for his cool one-liners. More importantly, he never failed to protect his friends, even against the strongest One Piece characters.
6) Mont Blanc Noland is finally validated
Throughout One Piece's history, Noland had an unfair reputation as a liar. He was never able to prove the existence of the golden city of Shandora. Many centuries later, Nico Robin visited the city for herself. She proved once and for all that Noland was telling the truth all along.
7) Skypiea brings a sense of adventure
Whether it was climbing giant beanstalks or visiting a lost ancient city, Skypiea invoked an adventurous spirit. Very few arcs replicated this feeling, considering the circumstances. By that point, the Straw Hats had only seen regular islands. They couldn't have imagined they would sail in a sea of clouds.
8) Enel versus Luffy
Enel was a very dangerous One Piece villain who could strike down enemies with his thunderbolts. The Goro Goro no Mi nearly made him invincible. Few characters could even hit Enel, let alone survive getting hit by him.
Luffy defied conventional wisdom when he clashed with the Skypiean god. It was easily among his most difficult battles before the time skip. Nonetheless, One Piece fans should definitely watch this epic fight as Luffy resorted to some very creative techniques.
9) The Enel face is born
Luffy's rubber properties proved to be extremely useful in his fight with Enel. When the Skypiean god realized that Luffy was unaffected by lightning, a legendary reaction shot was born. It was the comedic highlight of the entire series, since it was completely unexpected.
10) Luffy rings that bell
When Luffy finally struck down Enel, he made sure to ring the Shandorian Golden Belfry Bell. The Straw Hat not only saved the entire Skypiean people, he also proved the existence of the golden city.
Noland's descedents were also validated by the particular moment. For the past 400 years, Shandora had always been up in the sky. It's a moment that will likely deliver goosebumps to anybody watching.
Note: This article reflects the writer's personal views.
