Go behind the runway as syle icon Nami stars in a life-changing fashion show, observe wise Robin as she helps to decipher an ancient tablet with Koala and Sabo, watch as solemn Princess Vivi receives a love letter from an unexpected admirer, and check out Ghost Princess Perona's battle over the last bottle of wine with Zolo and Mihawk!

One Piece: Heroines has story by Jun Esaka and art by Sayaka Suwa, based on the manga by Eiichiro Oda. English translation by Stephen Paul. Published by Viz Media (April 22, 2025).

Rebecca Silverman
Rating:

I must admit to one very specific One Piece-related quirk: if it involves Vivi, I am probably going to like it. One Piece: Heroines' first novel does include a story nominally about the princess of Alabasta, which was why I was excited to pick it up. And while the story is very good, it's also not really about Vivi – unlike Nami's, Robin's, and Perona's stories, this one is primarily from Koza's perspective, with Vivi only making sporadic appearances. That's my major issue with this book; while Koza is an interesting character in his own right and I am invested in any Vivi/Koza relationship that might emerge, the novel is called One Piece: Heroines, and whatever else he may be, Koza's not that.

That gripe aside, this is a very enjoyable outing. Set during the timeskip (mostly; Nami's story seems to be right after but before Fishman Island), each of the four tales follows one of the ladies of One Piece on a small adventure. Vivi is preparing for a major diplomatic event, Nami's out shopping, Robin helps Koala with an archaeology project, and Perona fights Zoro (excuse me, Zolo) and Mihawk for a bottle of wine while Zoro is training. Robin's story feels the most complete in terms of the action and the attention to character detail; taking place towards the end of the timeskip, she's endearingly excited to get back to the Straw Hats, and that influences all of her decisions and interactions with the other people on her current ship. She reflects on her past and anticipates her future, showing a solid understanding of her character in the main series. Robin feels enhanced by Jun Esaka's vision of her rather than just her regular self.

Nami, who gets a second mini-story in the bonus at the end of the volume, is also well represented by Esaka. Her thieving skills are on full display, but so is her compassion and the sense of belonging that Luffy and the crew have given her. Like Robin, she thinks about her past as she takes on an unscrupulous shoe designer and the woman he's taking advantage of, but she's also unapologetically herself, using her own words and methods to help the woman while still allowing her to make her own choices. She's independent but pleased to have a place to belong, and that feels like a good distillation of the character at this point in the main series.

Also worth mentioning are the illustrations from Sayaka Suwa. This isn't her first One Piece journey – she's done illustrations for One Piece Magazine - and her vision of the ladies is reminiscent of the artwork in Veil and other similar josei series. Long and elegant, there's a clarity of line that improves on Oda's original character designs and renders the women exquisite, even with their ridiculous proportions. I'd seriously buy an artbook of Suwa's One Piece illustrations.

One Piece: Heroines isn't perfect, but it is still very good. The Koza focus in Vivi's story bothers me and I don't care much for Perona (although the story is fun), but both Nami and Robin are treated well. It's definitely worth picking up.

Lauren Orsini
Rating:

Nami kicks ass in high heels. Robin deciphers an ancient language. Vivi receives a love letter. Perona gets drunk. These are some of the fanfiction-like premises of One Piece: Heroines! , an official light novel that was neither written nor illustrated by One Piece creator Eichiro Oda. Instead, this is a for-fans-by-fans love letter to four of the One Piece world's most memorable ladies. Though the four short stories (and one flash fiction) do not follow the narrative structure of One Piece's manga or anime, they brim with love for the characters they star and heap on the fluffy fanservice in a way that's delightful instead of cringey.

Let's be honest—Eiichiro Oda would have never written any of these stories. As much as I love One Piece, its issues with female characters' portrayal are well documented. They often take a backseat role to male characters, plus there's the single female silhouette Oda seems to be capable of conveying. “I only draw this kind of body, so I get a lot of complaint postcards from my female audience,” Oda once wrote the postscript to Chapter 786, page 24. That makes these stories, which put each female character center stage with a “girl power” angle, a bit inauthentic due to their digression from the standard narrative. In short, they read obviously as fanfiction. However, I'd argue this is a good thing: they allow author Jun Esaka to cut loose. My favorite of the stories stars Perona, already an especially fun character because she begins as an antagonist. I always wondered what kind of roommate situation she had going on with Zoro and Mihawk, and her story of drunken debauchery made me laugh out loud. What if Perona got trashed with her weird, combative roomies? Why not? It feels like fanfiction (complimentary) because it answers the kind of scenario that only a fan-written story would answer:

What's especially interesting about these stories: they take place during off-screen times in the manga, like when Nico Robin was traveling with the Revolutionary Army before reuniting with the Straw Hats at Sabaody. (The story featuring Robin and Koala ensures this book passes the Bechdel test, if you wonder about such things.) If you're itching for more One Piece, and especially more of its female characters and their daily lives during those behind-the-scenes moments, this quick read makes a cute diversion from an author who is also a fan.