All fans of One Piece unanimously agree that one of the saddest moments in the story is when Ace is killed by Akainu during the horrific battle at Marineford. Despite Luffy using every means possible, exerting all his efforts, and sacrificing himself to save his brother, in the end, Fire Fist Ace loses his life while trying to protect his sibling.
This is a heartbreaking scene for One Piece fans, made even more painful as Ace bids farewell, thanking everyone for their love.
This moment is followed by Luffy’s heart-wrenching cries. It goes without saying that this is an intensely emotional scene that brings tears to the audience every time they watch it. While this is a profoundly challenging emotional moment for viewers, the cast and animation team also faced similar difficulties.
In an interview, Ace’s voice actor, Furukawa, shared that the episode’s director had instructed him to remain calm while Ace delivers his final words. However, he let his emotions pour out and cried as he concluded his speech with the heartbreaking “thank you.”
The subsequent scene shows Luffy screaming in agony as Ace lies lifeless before him. Tanaka did an exceptional job portraying Luffy’s pain, to the extent that her cries brought tears to everyone in the recording studio.
This small revelation made this already iconic scene even more impactful.
Ace’s death is not only one of the saddest moments in One Piece but also one of the most shocking. Prior to this, the story rarely concluded the life of such a significant character.
This incident fundamentally changed Luffy forever, providing him with the much-needed character development. Even after 13 years and over 500 episodes, this moment and the performances of the voice actors remain some of the most memorable parts of the One Piece anime.