One Piece fans were excited when they learned on June 29th that One Piece Film: Gold will be having a re-release in U.S. theaters starting on July 24th with the dub and the sub on the 26th. This is fantastic news and a great way to prep the fans for the upcoming One Piece Film: Red releasing in August.
However, One Piece's biggest fans may be looking for even more grand adventures featuring the sea, pirating, fantasy elements, and incredible world-building while they wait. Luckily, there are many other stories out there that fans of One Piece can read to hold them over until more franchise content comes out.
The Dark Tower
The Dark Tower is a dark fantasy novel series written by Stephen King, but it also has quite a bit of sci-fi and western elements to it too.
The Dark Tower series may seem like an out-of-the-box pick, but the journey Roland Deschain, aka "the Gunslinger," undergoes is in many ways similar to the Straw Hat Pirates. Both are heading toward their objective, not knowing much about it and not even knowing for certain whether it's real. Regardless, they're searching for it and it is their entire quest. Both run long and require plenty of hardship along the way.
Monkey King: Journey to the West
Journey to the West written by Wu Cheng'en might seem like a recommendation better suited for Dragon Ball fans, but it can't be helped with the Wano Country arc being the biggest story arc in One Piece.
This magical fantasy Chinese tale focuses on the Monkey King, Sun Wukong, who seeks immortality. While the Wano Country arc is Japanese-inspired, there are many similarities between the two East-Asian folklore and mythology. Journey to the West is also an epic saga searching for a goal that has Sun Wukong picking up many friends along the way and undergoing incredible battles.
The Princess Bride
Most might be more familiar with the movie, but The Princess Bride is originally a novel written by William Goldman.
The novel is just as fun, romantic, and adventurous as the movie with engaging fantasy elements (and of course pirates). While the film is fantastic and one of the best PG fantasy movies out there, fans who want the best overall experience should go for the novel. There is further depth behind the characters and far more intensity to scenes giving suspense and wonder.
Peter and Wendy
Peter and Wendy was written by J.M. Barrie, though most people will know him from the classic Disney movie Peter Pan. Peter Pan has a joyful childish attitude comparable in many ways to Monkey D. Luffy.
Neither of them is afraid of death, and both see everything as one big adventure. Captain Hook is also a relatively important character in giving the vision of pirates with hooks which may have indirectly inspired the design of Crocodile. This is a fun fantasy tale combatting against pirates that any One Piece fan would love.
Elric of Melniboné: Sailor on the Seas of Fate
Sailor on the Seas of Fate is the third novel chronologically in Michael Moorcock's Elric of Melniboné novel series. However, only a general knowledge of the character is needed before reading it.
This features one of the best Elric stories in the franchise by giving epic battles, tons of exploration across the sea, and finding many new isles that help build the world in surprising and interesting ways. This book also helps uncover some of the mysteries of Elric's race's past, and every One Piece fan loves mysteries and their revealings. While this may be a much darker story than One Piece, any older fan would love this.
Pirates of the Caribbean: Jack Sparrow
Many One Piece fans are already fans of the Pirates of the Caribbean films. However, there happens to be a children's novel series written by Rob Kidd that tells the story of Johnny Depp's best character, Jack Sparrow, in his teens before he was Captain of the Black Pearl.
While these novels are intended for younger readers, older ones can enjoy them too. Especially if they're desiring a more complete story of Jack Sparrow. These stories delve far more into the mysteries of the sea and constantly bring in heavy fantasy elements. The first novel brings back the Aztecs like the first movie and has Jack begin his quest for the magical sword of Hernán Cortés.
The Wheel of Time
The Wheel of Time by Robert Jordan actually takes place in its world around the same time as the Golden Age of Piracy. Though it's such a large figure in high fantasy, it isn't a medieval world; it's actually supposed to be the 17th century with some key differences.
However, this isn't what should interest most One Piece fans necessarily. What's so grand about this fantasy tale is its impeccable world-building and storytelling, which would make this fantasy book series an amazing video game. For being such a long series (and One Piece fans know all about that) it keeps its pace well and constantly evolves its world in new and interesting ways. For any modern-day fantasy novel, this is the perfect series to pick up for One Piece fans.
The Odyssey
The Odyssey, written by Homer, is a sequel to the Illiad. However, the Illiad isn't really an essential read to understand and enjoy this novel. This is an old epic poem written in ancient Greece, but it still holds up today as one of the most riveting sea adventures of all time.
Odysseus, the main character struggles across the Mediterranean Sea after the Trojan War as he heads home to his wife. On his way, he fights many monsters either with brawn or wit. Giving the point of view of his wife and her suitors makes Odysseus's story and the revenge he brings when he returns home far more satisfactory.
On Stranger Tides
On Stranger Tides by Tim Powers is probably the best fantasy pirate novel ever written. Many fans may have heard this name and connect it to the Pirate of the Caribbean's fourth film, though it's still extremely different in many ways from the book.
On Stranger Tides is one of the most important pirate novels to date and features tons of fun fantasy ideas such as mermaids and voodoo. The twisting of black magic and evil pirates helps make this an intense novel with twists of horror and suspense. And yes, just like the film, Blackbeard, a real-life pirate that inspired a One Piece character, desires the Fountain of Youth for immortality.
Treasure Island
No one can talk about pirate novels and not include Treasure Island, written by Robert Louis Stevenson. This is the most important pirate novel in history that helped romanticize pirates as well as establish many of their ongoing tropes.
Jim Hawkins, the main protagonist, and the pirate Captain Long John Silver are some of the most interesting and colorful characters out there. The story constantly twists and the pirates search for the ultimate goal of buried treasure. This is the perfect pirate tale that any One Piece fan will love.