One Piece has been around for decades, and we have seen the anime put out a lot during its run. From feature films to recap specials, the Straw Hat crew has done plenty. Of course, that all eyes are on the anime nowadays as it is preparing for a big remaster. But before that project could even begin, well – it seems One Piece: Fan Letter has stepped forward to become of the top-rated anime titles of all time.
Sorry, Fullmetal Alchemist. Not even Attack on Titan could stop this beast. One Piece: Fan Letter is one of the few masterclasses we’ve been given in anime, and it deserves the top marks it is boasting.
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ONE PIECE: FAN LETTER IS THE WORLD’S BEST SPECIAL
After all, the folks at My Anime List (MAL) are making it clear that One Piece has struck gold. Its latest anime special went live less than a week ago, and noise around the episode will not settle. Over on MAL, the anime is now the second highest-rated anime title of all time. It falls just below Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End which boasts a 9.32 rating. One Piece: Fan Latter is in second at 9.26, and third place goes to Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood at 9.09.
If you are new to the anime fandom, you may not get the significance of this ranking. MAL has curated some of the most famous anime lists in the fandom, and its Top Anime ranking has long bowed to Fullmetal Alchemist. It was only after Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End went live that the show was dethroned, and now it has been knocked once more by One Piece. It is hard to believe the Elric Brothers have been overcome once more, but that is how anime works. As new masterpieces come to light, the fandom embraces them, and One Piece: Fan Letter is worthy of such praise.
Directed by Megumi Ishitani, the beloved animator flexed in bringing this special to life. From its color palette to its pacing and heartfelt motifs, One Piece: Fan Letter embodies the hope of the entire series. Momoka Toyoda penned a thoughtful script that illustrates the best (and worst) pieces of the One Piece fandom. And with music by Kouhei Tanaka, the anime special could not have been paired with better sound. Watching the special has been described as a spiritual experience by fans, and that kind of praise is not handed down very often.
WHAT ARE ANIME’S TOP-RATED TITLES?
Released less than a week ago, One Piece: Fan Letter is the most recent release to make it on MAL’s most famous list. Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End is up there as the fantasy series debuted in September 2023. However, for the most part, the anime titles found on the top list are from the ’10s.
For instance, Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood began in early 2009, and it ran through July 2010 to great success. Steins;Gate is ranked in fourth place along with Attack on Titan in fifth. The top twenty list features a healthy mix of projects, of course, but older titles definitely pop up more frequently. So if you want to check out the fandom’s top anime picks, you can find them below:
- Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End
- One Piece: Fan Letter
- Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood
- Steins;Gate
- Attack on Titan, Season 3B
- Gintama (2015)
- Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War, Part 3
- Gintama: The Final
- Gintama (2011)
- Hunter x Hunter (2011)
- Gintama: Enchousen
- Bleach: Thousand-Year Blood War, Part 1
- Legend of the Galactic Heroes
- Kaguya-sama: Love Is War – Ultra Romantic
- Gintama (2017)
What do you think about One Piece‘s latest special? Give me a shout at @meganwpeters with your take! You can also let us know what you think over on X (Twitter) and Instagram.