[One Piece] “Ace Was a Loser After All?” — Japanese Fans Still Can’t Agree on His Death

Portgas D. Ace — June 9, 2018
Was Ace’s death truly heroic, or just unforgivable?

Ace’s final moments are some of the most emotional in One Piece.
But years later, Japanese fans are still split — not on the sadness, but on the meaning.
Was Ace a tragic hero… or someone who failed to live up to Whitebeard’s will?

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Ace as a “Loser” — Harsh but Persistent Criticism

Ace
“…If you give in to power, then there’s no meaning in being born a man.”
“I will never leave regrets in my life…!!! …Got it, you idiot.”

2: Anonymous Pirate
He’s a loser.

8: Anonymous Pirate
If he’d just escaped properly, it wouldn’t have been such a pointless death.

32: Anonymous Pirate
This is on the same level as that “don’t stop running” meme, lol.

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“He Should Have Run” — The Escape Argument

13: Anonymous Pirate
Don’t do it, Ace!

40: Anonymous Pirate
If he’d escaped, his comrades’ deaths wouldn’t have been meaningless, and the Navy still killed Whitebeard, so it’s win-win.

43: Anonymous Pirate
He’s the kind of guy whose death isn’t forgiven — but if he hadn’t died, that wouldn’t have been forgiven either.

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Whitebeard’s Will and Ace’s Disobedience

11: Anonymous Pirate
Do you even like Whitebeard or hate him? Make up your mind.
You’re the only one who ignored Whitebeard’s final will.

66: Anonymous Pirate
He got captured because he disobeyed orders and rushed ahead.
If he’d obeyed orders this time, it could’ve shown growth.
But instead, he disobeyed again and died — that’s why people trash him.

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Could This Death Have Been Avoided?

47: Anonymous Pirate
>>43
If he’d done it like this, it would’ve been fine.

Akainu
“So you free Ace and then immediately disband?
What a pathetic bunch you are, Whitebeard Pirates.”
“A captain like that… well, I guess it figures…!!”
“Whitebeard was nothing more than a loser from a bygone era…!!”

Whitebeard Pirates Member
“He just insulted Pops!!!”
“A loser…?”
“Pops…”
“What the hell do you know about how great our old man was…!!!!!”

Ace
“Stop it…!!!!!!”
“All of you—make sure you get back alive!!!! That is…”
“…my final captain’s order…!!!”

50: Anonymous Pirate
>>47
That’s kinda cool.

55: Anonymous Pirate
>>47
Given how he got captured, defending him is impossible.

56: Anonymous Pirate
>>47
This is Whitebeard Pirates 2nd Division Commander, Fire Fist Ace.

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Other Characters’ Responsibility

44: Anonymous Pirate
Big Mom and Kaido would just go “that old man was lame lol.”
That’s honestly how they treat it.

62: Anonymous Pirate
There’s also this idea that Jinbe shares blame for not protecting Luffy and sneaking away.

71: Anonymous Pirate
Honestly, there were definitely other ways to save him besides acting as a shield.

79: Anonymous Pirate
>>71
Shanks: “I was late on purpose.”

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Overlooked Characters at Marineford

81: Anonymous Pirate
Hancock was lowkey doing a lot in that war but barely gets attention.

89: Anonymous Pirate
>>81
Did she do anything besides bullying the smoke guy?

91: Anonymous Pirate
>.89
She destroyed multiple Pacifistas.

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Regret and Afterthoughts

23: Anonymous Pirate
Take it back.

54: Anonymous Pirate
Oda definitely regrets it — that’s why he wrote survival routes later.

99: Anonymous Pirate

A pirate who fights like a Marineford mob character and still becomes Pirate King? Yeah right.

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👉  Why Japanese Fans Judge Ace So Severely

In Japanese fandom culture, intent matters less than responsibility.
Ace didn’t just die — he disobeyed orders, ignored Whitebeard’s will, and repeated past mistakes.

That repetition is the real sin here.
To many Japanese readers, tragedy born from stubbornness isn’t noble — it’s failure.

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👉 What This Debate Really Says About One Piece

This thread isn’t really about Ace.
It’s about what kind of story One Piece is supposed to be.

Is it a romantic tale of emotion and instinct?
Or a harsh world where choices — even emotional ones — must carry consequences?

Ace sits exactly at that fault line.