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There are plenty of emotional moments in One Piece, but they usually happen on the screen and not behind the scenes. However, sometimes the chaos of the real world bleeds into the anime, especially for those who bring those characters to life. For Nami’s voice actor, the COVID-19 pandemic colored her perception of the Whole Cake arc, making it the most memorable arc for her personally.

During the One Piece cast panel at London MCM in May 2024, a fan asked the cast what their favorite arc was – something we have a bit of an opinion on ourselves. Most of the actors cited the Water 7 arc, but Luci Christian explained why Whole Cake stands out to her. “I really loved Whole Cake. That was our pandemic show. We recorded that mostly at home, which was a totally unique experience, but I really enjoyed Whole Cake a lot.”

Sonny Strait, who plays Usopp in the English dub of One Piece, chimed in with another memory from that time period. “And after that we did our first panel together after being at home for so long. It was really hard not to cry through the whole thing. Holding it in was tough. It was like, did I dream you guys? You really are real.”

We all remember what it was like returning to the world after being in isolation for so long, so we definitely get where both Christian and Strait are coming from here. While it doesn’t change our favorite arc in the show, it certainly shows how close the voices behind the Straw Hat pirates have become over the years.

THE ONE PIECE IS REAL...ly important to Popverse! That's why we've put together the key articles to keep your fandom of the manga-turned-anime-turned-live-action-show alive:

• How to watch One Piece One Piece in chronological and release order (All 1,100+ episodes plus the movies!)
• When the next episode of One Piece is coming
• The One Piece English cast shared the life lessons they've learned playing the Straw Hats for nearly 20 years
• Why One Piece's Monkey D. Luffy is the perfect hero for the dark times ahead
• Every difference between the live-action One Piece and the original manga
• One Piece Gear 5 Form: Everything we know about Luffy's latest transformation
• Wondering what ethnicity and nationality the One Piece pirates are? Here is what Oda himself has to say
• Ranking the One Piece anime's arcs, from best to worst
• Why is One Piece more popular now that the anime is 25 years old? We asked around and found out
• The English cast of One Piece explain what they love about Eiichiro Oda's storytelling - "He's a genius!"