Why the One Piece arc “Whole Cake” is Nami voice actress Luci Christian’s favorite arc

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There are many emotional moments in One Piece, but they usually happen on screen rather than behind the scenes. However, sometimes the chaos of the real world seeps into the anime, especially for those who bring these characters to life. For Nami’s voice actress, the COVID-19 pandemic affected her perception of the Whole Cake arc, making it the most memorable arc for her personally.

During the One Piece cast panel at London’s MCM in May 2024, a fan asked the cast what their favorite arc was – something we ourselves have some opinions on. Most of the actors named the Water 7 arc, but Luci Christian explained why Whole Cake stands out for her. “I really loved Whole Cake. That was our pandemic show. We mostly recorded that at home, which was a completely 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. “And after that, we did our first panel together after being home for so long. It was really hard not to cry the whole time. It was hard to hold it in. It was like, did I dream you? You guys are really real.”

We all remember what it was like to return to the world after so much isolation, so we definitely understand what Christian and Strait mean here. While it doesn’t change our favorite arc in the series, it does show how close the voices behind the Straw Hat Pirates have become over the years.

THE ONE PIECE IS REALLY… important to the Popverse! That’s why we’ve put together guides to help you watch all the One Piece episodes, figure out the differences between the One Piece manga and the live-action show, and even understand Monkey D. Luffy’s Gear 5 form.