5 coolest islands in One Piece so far (& 5 forgettable ones)

One of the most exciting aspects of author and illustrator Eiichiro Oda’s One Piece series is the limitless freedom of the Grand Line’s islands and how unique they can be. For many fans, getting to experience the feeling of discovering an island’s various features makes it distinctly unique.

While many of the series’ islands are incredibly engaging from a visual perspective, some are more forgettable or less enchanting than others. While understandable, it remains a simple fact of life that not every location in One Piece is created equally.

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Skypiea, four other unique islands easily the series’ coolest

1) Punk Hazard

Kicking off the list is Punk Hazard, introduced as the research facility for Caesar Clown as well as the former battleground between Admirals Akainu and Aokiji for the Fleet Admiral position. Their conflict has permanently transformed the island, resulting in one half being constantly on fire and burning hot and the other always snowing with freezing, ice-cold temperatures.

The island’s center features a giant hole, creating a lake in a constant state of thermal battle thanks to its two halves. While the arc itself was disappointing, many fans agree that it’s visually one of the most unique and appealing places shown in One Piece thus far.

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2) Water 7

Water 7 as seen in the anime (Image via Toei Animation)

Water 7 was, at the time of its introduction, easily the most unique island fans had seen in One Piece. Clearly inspired by the real world’s Venice, Italy, it is a city that sees itself as integrated with the reality of living amidst the ocean.

Various canals run through the pyramid-like city, tipped with a massive fountain, adding a beautiful visual touch. Seeing the Straw Hats actually journey throughout the island only further enhances the beauty it appears to have from the outside looking in.

It’s easily one of the most memorable and beautiful islands in the series, without a doubt.

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3) Skypiea

Many fans consider Skypiea one of One Piece’s most memorable islands, if only for the absurdity of the existence of a sky island. Sitting atop a sea made of clouds, Skypiea sees various winged humans living peacefully in the sky, almost totally separated from the blue sea and its various islands, which sit thousands of feet below.

The architecture is also quite interesting, featuring a unique approach relative to other islands in the series. This is further exacerbated by the dichotomous buildings of the Shandorians, who live in Native American-like quarters on the outskirts of Skypiea, still beautiful but archaic.

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4) Wano

The latest island introduced in One Piece is also undoubtedly one of the coolest. Wano’s unique scenery, as well as its flora and fauna, all serve to make fans starstruck as they see the Straw Hats explore every nook and cranny for the first time.

A major factor in this is the island’s heavy use of real-world Japanese culture, rarely previously seen and always to a much lesser degree. While the novelty wore off for some as the arc progressed, the numerous regions and their distinctions kept a majority of viewers engaged throughout.

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5) Zou

The features of Zou as seen in the One Piece anime (Image via Toei Animation)

Similar to how Skypiea is so memorable and remarkable for its uniqueness, Zou is often positively discussed by One Piece fans for similar reasons. The island is a giant, walking elephant that is constantly changing directions, making it findable only via Vivre Card or other means of tracking.

This alone served to greatly endear fans to it, as well as making it very memorable. The actual topography and culture of the “island” and its denizens only furthered this intrigue, with bonafide forests growing atop Zunesha (the elephant) as well as the Mokomo Dukedom.

Undoubtedly, it’s one of the most extraordinary islands in the series going purely by concept, which is only furthered when considering its other odds and ends.

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Gecko Islands, four other One Piece islands often left out when fans discuss their favorites

1) Long Ring Long Land

Long Ring Long Land’s elongated flora and fauna as seen in the series’ anime (Image via Toei Animation)

One of the more forgettable islands in the series for One Piece fans is Long Ring Long Land, and by no fault of the island itself. The concept is interesting, as it’s essentially an island where everything grows exceptionally long, including animals.

The island also has a cool concept: a circular archipelago of ten elevated islands with a path between them surfacing only once a year.

Unfortunately, the island’s unique topography, flora, and fauna are greatly overshadowed by what many consider the most disappointing arc in the series. As a result, many fans forget how great the island was purely in concept, thanks to the unbearable events they were forced to sit through during the series’ time there.

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2) Jaya

While the Jaya arc itself is fantastic, there’s not much to differentiate this island from others in the minds of One Piece fans. Two key features which fans enjoyed are Mock Town and the South Birds, but these alone aren’t enough to truly distinguish it.

Many fans remember the jungle from the South Bird chase scene, but there aren’t many unique features of this jungle. Like many other islands in this section of the list, the arc which took place here was by no means terrible, unlike the previous entry.

However, there aren’t enough unique features of the island to truly call it one of the coolest in the series, let alone call the island itself (separated from the events which happen there) memorable.

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3) Syrup Village (Gecko Islands)

The Gecko Islands is an archipelago in the East Blue where Syrup Village is located. Unfortunately, it is the only island fans get to see within the archipelago.

An exterior shot of the archipelago at large can be seen briefly, but there aren’t many distinct features to pick up on in this macro shot. Even within Syrup Village, the most striking features of the island are its rolling hills in contrast with the steep, shoreside cliffs that can be found.

Relative to other islands in One Piece, these features are pretty insignificant and forgettable, resulting in many fans likely not even realizing the island’s name to be the Gecko Islands.

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4) Shells Town (Yotsuba Island region)

Shells Town as seen in the anime (Image via Toei Animation)

Shells Town is the name of the island where Luffy meets and rescues Roronoa Zoro, mainly remembered by fans for this event above its features. While the Marine base on the island is fairly unique relative to others, it’s a slight detail that many forget when reminiscing about the arc, with even fewer actively citing it in why they like the island.

There simply isn’t much going on here besides the Marine base, and if there is, it’s not shown to fans during the brief time the One Piece narrative spends here. While the town is said to be in the Yotsuba Island region, Shells Town seems to be situated on its own island.

As a result, it’s most definitely one of the more forgettable islands in terms of its features itself.

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5) Orange Town (Organ Islands)

Orange Town as seen in the anime (Image via Toei Animation)

Finally, Orange Town in the Organ Islands is where Nami is formally introduced and meets Luffy and Zoro for the first time, joining the crew under false pretenses here as well. While this arc is certainly memorable for most fans, the islands themselves aren’t even shown, giving fans no features to go off of or gauge the uniqueness of.

Like Syrup Village and the Gecko Islands, this results in viewers likely not even realizing that Orange Town wasn’t situated on Orange Town Island. It’s hard to call an island that’s not even shown memorable, quickly resulting in its classification amidst One Piece’s more forgettable locations.

Note: This article is subjective and reflects the author’s opinion.