One Piece in Love popped up on my TikTok feed one day, and I was immediately intrigued. At first, I thought, “How are they getting away with using official music, art, and scenes?” The answer? Turns out, it’s because this is a fully official spinoff from Shonen Jump! I hopped on board faster than Luffy chasing meat. What followed was a short, punchy, and deeply fan-made celebration of all things One Piece. If you’re a long-time fan or even a light-hearted lurker in the fandom, this is one you’ll want to check out. This show is wild, weird, and way more hilarious than I expected. Here’s my full review, spoiler-free and full of fangirl feels.
What is One Piece in Love About?
- Demographic: Shounen
- Genres: Comedy, Romance
- Theme: Parody
- Episodes: 5
- Total Watch Time: +/- 30 minutes
- Type: ONA (Original Net Animation)
- Rating: PG-13
- Aired: April 2025
- Animation Studio: Toei Animation
- Studio: Toei Animation
- English Dub: No
- Source: Manga
- Kanji: 恋するワンピース
- Alternative Title: Koisuru One Piece
- Average Platform Rating: 6.8/10
- Streaming: YouTube
- Continues in Source Material? Yes, Koisuru One Piece by Daiki Ihara
- Official Website
- Official Hashtags: #恋するワンピース #KoisuruOnePiece
Set in a regular high school in modern Japan, three classmates happen to share their names with iconic One Piece characters, Luffy, Nami, and Usopp. As fans of the series and teased by those around them, Nami and Luffy band together and are soon joined by Ussop and others. Soon they try to navigate the trials of teenage life while running a school club devoted to One Piece. Nami is hopelessly in love with Luffy, and Usopp is constantly hijacking their dates with One Piece trivia and antics. The whole thing spirals into one big hilarious and chaotic mess.
My Thoughts on One Piece in Love:
Once I knew that this was an official release and that I was in for a parody, I prepared to be mildly entertained. What I got did not let me down and was even funnier than I had anticipated. The grounded, real-world setting makes every joke hit even harder and every absurdity even more outrageous. Think: a Gatling gun to eliminate a mosquito as well as a ‘buster call’ level disaster.
The references throughout are cleverly intertwined and, at times, brought to life in the most unexpected of ways. I can tell this was put together by people who love the series and want to talk about it. This is a love letter to the series, an odd one, but a love letter nonetheless.
Luffy Yamamoto isn’t the Pirate King; he’s just a sweet, awkward teen who happens to be in love with his friend, Nami. But their love life is constantly hijacked by Usopp Nakatsugawa, who’s just a tad too into One Piece. No aspect of their life can not be related to One Piece when it comes to Ussop. Nami is just happy that their unique names brought her and Luffy together, although she is a massive fan and enjoys the series too.
It’s a pure gag series, short, punchy, and totally self-aware. From reindeer mascots in class to a biology dummy named Brook, the references come fast and weird. But the best part? The emotional moments still land. You feel for Luffy and Nami when their dates are ruined. You laugh at Usopp’s chaos but also recognise that kind of fan spirit in yourself. Also, Sanji, as a sporty, confident girl, was such a fun twist! She was a scene-stealer during the Davy Back fight. I do wish we had more scenes with her.
Honestly, I wish we had more of it. Five episodes was not enough. Bring it back! In just five episodes, it delivers absurdist humour, lovable characters, and a smart satire of anime obsession. It’s the kind of series only fans of the series will fully appreciate, and that’s what makes it shine.
My Favourite Character: Ussop
This is a shock to all of us. In the official series, he is one of my least-liked crew members, while here, he is the life of the show. Chaotic and delusionally obsessed, I was always wondering what he was going to do next, and he always surprised me when he answered that question. He is the perfect embodiment of over-the-top fandom.
Would I Recommend One Piece in Love?
Absolutely, especially to anime fans and One Piece lovers. If you’ve ever cosplayed, debated power levels, or shouted “Gomu Gomu no…” at someone just for fun, you’re going to feel seen by this anime.
What do you think about One Piece in Love?
I want to know your take! Did you love the meta-parody angle as much as I did? Who was your favourite? And how many One Piece references did you catch? Let’s geek out together in the comments below!
My rating: 8/10
Leave a Reply