One Piece Odyssey draws plenty of characters from the many years of Manga and anime. Fans clamoured for certain appearances and, as the game arrived, they were either thrilled or gutted. It's hard to please a colossal fanbase when there are literally hundreds of characters that have interacted with Luffy and his crew.
Some characters bring plenty of joy, while others get us all choked up. Each of these side characters brings a wealth of history or establishes it. The beauty of having such a cast to pull from is the emotions that can be stirred within players, particularly when certain enemies pop up because, love them or hate them, they define a large part of One Piece.
Lim
Exclusive to One Piece Odyssey, Lim accompanies the pirate crew for most of the story. Lim has a special ability that can reduce people and objects to memory cubes. She also controls a place called Memoria, and it's through this realm that the Straw Hat Pirates venture to islands they've visited within the anime, reliving crucial storylines over again. Lim sticks by the crew learning the meaning of love and companionship through the bonds of the pirates.
Lim is a great addition to the vast cast of characters. Her innocence and naivety are a brilliant counter to the brash confidence of the crew, We may never see her again, but her ability would be a great feature to revisit in the future given the wealth of plotlines the Manga originally featured.
Franky (Pre-timeskip)
It was a nice touch to see Franky from before the timeskip. Franky is always a huge fan favourite, but the way we see him nowadays is an upgraded version of the Franky we first met during the Water 7 arc. As the boss of a criminal gang, this version of Franky was egotistical and harsh. His 'Franky Family' were a bunch of bounty hunters and routinely broke down the ships of others.
Franky's body was heavily damaged working the docks of Water 7. Over time, he began implementing cyborg parts into his body, making him super strong and resilient. Once an enemy, Franky eventually became an ally of the Straw Hats. He became the engineer for the pirate crew after he joined them, building the Thousand Sunny ship.
Portgas D. Ace
Luffy's dear brother, Ace, often brings a tear to the eye of Manga fans and anime fans. Ace's appearance in One Piece Odyssey is bittersweet. Without trawling our sad memories or spoiling too much for newcomers, Ace plays a huge part in the emotional journey of Luffy. His story may be the most important in the history of One Piece. What happens with Ace became the catalyst for the time skip in the anime.
In One Piece Odyssey, Ace gets a fantastic cameo, bringing a huge amount of energy with him. The game looks stunning with the sharp colours of swirling fire, which just happens to be the element Ace channels. So each time he appears on-screen it's with a luscious palette.
Trafalgar D. Water Law
Allied with Luffy, Trafalgar Law is a pirate from the North Blue. As with so many of the pirates allies, Trafalgar started as an enemy. A gruff pirate who wanted power, he gradually softened to work alongside the Straw Hats, which saw him ousted from the Seven Warlords. Trafalgar appears towards the end of the game, proving himself to be a useful fighter.
Trafalgar is a tragic character coming from an island where he is the lone survivor of a tragedy. He became a fan favourite quickly and has appeared in several arcs, which guaranteed he would appear in One Piece Odyssey. He still carries that gruff personality here, but we'll forgive him as it's all just a memory, after all.
Donquixote Doflamingo
Extravagant, but incredibly dangerous, Doflamingo caused havoc for the pirates in the anime and Manga. Don't let the outfit fool you. While he looks flashy and flamboyant, he's a nasty piece of work. This is a man who felt betrayed by his family, so he killed them in cold blood. A man who wanted to take over the world, ruling from the throne of Dressrosa. He appears as a boss in One Piece Odyssey.
The animation of Doflamingo is gorgeous. His feathered outfit swishes extravagantly with every movement and his bold colours pop each time he appears on the screen. Doflamingo is definitely the enemy we all love to hate.
Bon Clay
Once a sworn enemy, Bon Clay became a friendly ally of the Straw Hat Pirates. Another extravagant character in appearance and personality, Bon Clay often sacrificed himself for his friend, Luffy. In the game, as well as the anime, Bon Clay has a unique fighting style, honing his dancing skill into violent movements.
Bon Clay is not a character you'd forget easily. With a pink and blue outfit, topped off with the two-headed swan cape, his look is playful. This is a great contrast to his violent past. In the anime, Bon Clay doesn't appear so much any longer, as he is installed as Queen of Newkama Land.
Rebecca
A friendly face appears in Rebecca, who is a key character in the Dressrosa chapter of One Piece Odyssey. Rebecca is a fearless warrior who was thrown into gladiatorial combat by Doflamingo when he overthrew Rebecca's family to steal the throne of Dressrosa. While Rebecca doesn't come up as frequently as others on this list, she deserves a spot in our hearts because of the trials she faces.
Respected by many for her fighting prowess, she does tend to fall into waifu territory due to her looks and... ahem, assets. She flits between badass and lady in need of saving. Thankfully her role in the game leans on the former.
Adio Suerte
Much like Lim, Adio is exclusive to One Piece Odyssey, only appearing in the game. Never entirely trusted, Adio spends most of the game barking orders at the Straw Hats in the hope they will help him rid the island of a curse. He points Luffy and the crew toward dungeons and bosses, occasionally stepping in to wield his fancy twin pistols.
Adio is that one character we would love to slap. He's a scenery-chewing pantomime, the type of character that goes a step above and beyond the outlandish. There's plenty of maniacal laughing and inward brooding from him. It's a shame we may never see him again.
Smoker
Smoker is one of the earliest enemies to face off against Luffy and the Straw Hat Pirates. We all knew he would make an appearance. Smoker is, for many, a reliable favourite. He's appeared in so many arcs now, it's a wonder he hasn't retired. His mission in life is to capture Luffy and he's come close a few times. In today's lexicon, Smoker is more of an anti-hero. He's still an enemy of the Straw Hats, but they've had a few temporary alliances.
Never seen without his trademark cigars, Smoker is brash and bombastic. He does have a soft side, seen only rarely. In One Piece Odyssey, this softer side leads his appearance though he never loses sight of his ultimate goal.
Tashigi
Another of the characters we met very early on in the anime and Manga, Tashigi is the spitting image of Zoro's childhood friend. She is often seen with Smoker as she is his apprentice. This quirky character is drastically clumsy, but tenacious in wanting to capture the Straw Hats. This links back to her first run-in with Zoro, and the passions of her superior, Smoker.
Her appearance in One Piece Odyssey was a bit of a surprise as she isn't a strong antagonist, but fans love her. It was nice to see a familiar face who wasn't directly linked to only Luffy.