Best One Piece Characters Who Proved Fans Wrong

As the saying goes, first impressions can go a very long way, but in the world of One Piece, there’s almost always a lot more to a character than initially meets the eye. Over the years, there have been numerous individuals introduced to the story who, for one reason or another, garnered a specific reputation among many of the fans. As a result, it seemed as though these characters were destined to head down a specific path, but there’ve still been occasions where someone has proven that they are much different than what fans may have initially been led to believe.

This can inevitably lead to some fascinating reveals and character arcs, which can bring a lot more intrigue to these specific individuals. While it’s not always nice to be proven wrong, in this case, it can actually be seen as more of a positive, as it allows these One Piece characters to show what they’re truly made of, regardless of the first impression they may have set when they debuted.

Hachi

From Arlong’s Loyal Servant To A Cheery Takoyaki Chef, Hachi Has Come A Very Long Way

• First Appearance: Episode 31

When Hachi is first introduced to the story, he is little more than a lowly grunt working under the malicious Fishman known as Arlong. Considering the multi-limbed swordsman plays a pretty minor role in the Arlong Park arc early in the story, it was easy for fans to presume that he was simply a soldier who hated humans as much as his leader did, but this would turn out not to be true much later on in the story.

While Hachi can be seen traveling around in a cover story, he officially returns in Sabaody. This time around, he’s a Takoyaki chef who seems more than happy to guide Luffy and the others around the island, possessing a drastically different attitude and personality from the one he had in Arlong Park. It turns out that Hachi is actually a fun, friendly, and compassionate character who simply got caught up in the wrong crowd, though it wasn’t easy to deduce this back in the early episodes and chapters of the story.

Buckingham Stussy

The Crazed Old Hag Turns Out To Be A Former Rocks Pirate

• First Appearance: Episode 752

Any time she appears in the story, Stussy can often be seen ordering around a giant brute known as Weevil to take down anyone whom she deems a threat. Despite claiming herself to be a lover of the legendary Whitebeard, and in turn, the mother of Weevil, many fans presumed that she was simply faking this in order to keep a leash around the neck of her immensely powerful servant.

Much to the surprise of pretty much everyone, though, not only is it revealed that Stussy was in fact close to Whitebeard many years ago, but she even rode with the Rocks Pirates back when they were in their prime. It doesn’t stop there, as she would also become involved with the MADS group of scientists, proving herself to be much more important to the lore of One Piece than anyone could have guessed.

Bon Clay

Bon Clay Goes From A Thorn In The Straw Hats’ Side To A Lovable Ally

• First Appearance: Episode 78

Bon Clay was originally known as Mr. 2, being one of Crocodile’s goons who worked within the organization known as Baroque Works. Because of this, he actually plays the role of a minor antagonist throughout the Alabasta arc, using his shapeshifting Devil Fruit ability to manipulate his opponents before then landing an attack, such as how he transforms into Nami to prevent Sanji from hitting him.

Just like the other members of Baroque Works, it felt highly likely that Bon Clay would disappear after the group was taken down for good, but that’s not exactly how things ended up panning out. Bon Clay shows up once again in the Impel Down arc a little later on in the series, but it’s clear that the devious and menacing persona he put on back in Alabasta was simply an act. In reality, he’s actually one of the most selfless characters in the entire series, going so far as to sacrifice himself so that Luffy could make his escape from the prison.

Vivi

Vivi Is Revealed To Be Much More Important Than Anyone Expected

• First Appearance: Episode 62

It could be hard to remember these days, considering Vivi has long been a loyal ally to the Straw Hats, but there was one point in time when she was actually their enemy. Back in Whiskey Peak, Vivi was simply known as Miss Wednesday and was actually on her way to kill the innocent whale known as Laboon if Luffy and the others hadn’t stepped in her way. At this point in the story, there had been numerous antagonists who were introduced before quickly being dispatched off not long after, so it would have been understandable if Vivi had continued this trend.

Despite that, though, it turned out there was much more to Vivi’s personal story than any fan could have anticipated. As the princess of Alabasta, she would beg the Straw Hats to help her save her country from being torn apart by a civil war, becoming a temporary crew member for the entire arc. It was easy to see Vivi as yet another villain for Luffy and Zorro to put in their place, so it was definitely a shock when it became clear that she was actually a member of royalty.

Koby

Koby Didn’t Remain A Sniveling Errand Boy For Very Long

• First Appearance: Episode 1

Before Oda packed the One Piece story with thousands of important characters, the adventure began with only two, those being Luffy and Kobe. While Luffy was the upbeat and courageous one of the duo, who was more than ready to embark on a grand adventure, Kobe was a weak and cowardly errand boy who clearly didn’t have what it took to become a marine. To put it simply, Kobe didn’t possess the heart, soul, or strength to take on the responsibilities that come with being a marine, so while many remained doubtful that he would even achieve this position, to say he proved the fans wrong would be putting it mildly.

After some brutal training with Garp, Kobe was able to rise through the ranks at a blistering pace, to the point where he even participated in the Marineford War, and eventually became an honorary member of SWORD. Kobe didn’t initially seem like a character who would have amounted to all that much, but the young boy put in the work to defy all the expectations that had been set for him.

Boa Hancock

Hancock Proves Herself To Be A Lot Different From The Other Shichibukai

• First Appearance: Episode 409

Before Luffy meets Boa Hancock on the island of Amazon Lily, he had already encountered a number of Warlords who, while different in their goals and abilities, were all ruthless pirates who were more than happy to kill anyone who stood up to them. This meant that when Hancock was eventually introduced, Luffy, along with the fans, presumed that she was just like the others. This is actually backed up when she sends her sisters to attack Luffy only a few hours after he wakes up on her island, but this doesn’t end up lasting for very long.

Once Hancock actually sits down with Luffy to talk to him, she is shown to be much more compassionate than any of the other Warlords, even going as far as to share her tragic backstory as a slave with someone she just met. Hancock demonstrates that while the Warlords may all be lapdogs working under the Marines, they are all still vastly different in how they actually view their position, and who they really are beneath the surface.

Nico Robin

Robin Was Hard to Trust When She First Joined The Crew

• First Appearance: Episode 67

Robin may have once been Crocodile’s closest companion, but even after she decided to join Luffy’s crew, many fans were still suspicious about her true intentions. After all, as someone with a keen interest in the Will of D, it wasn’t outlandish to presume that she was only tagging along to gain the information she needed before eventually betraying the crew. This is supported by the fact that, at the beginning of the Water 7 arc, she seemingly disappears without a trace, making it even more plausible that she was only using the Straw Hats for her own gain.

Of course, as One Piece fans are well aware, this couldn’t be any further from the truth, though the exact details of Robin and her past are only revealed several arcs later in Enies Lobby. With her home island obliterated by the Marines and the World Government relentlessly hunting her down, Robin simply wanted to find people that she could call friends, or even family, proving to fans that she was much more than just a lingering remnant of Crocodile’s group of spies.