One Piece starts off on a pretty average note. Nothing spectacular. Being a very old show (started in 1997), the art is quite shitty at first. To drop the show because of this reason alone is a bad mistake. Think of it more like a fine wine that ages exceedingly well over time.
Moving on, "it looks too childish". I've heard that a lot from people who haven't watched it, and I'm sure I even thought it myself at one point. Sadly, Oda's unique art style does look very stylized and might be difficult to get used to. Give it a few episodes however and you will realized that the art lends itself to the plot perfectly. The designs are unique and the settings are creative. Without a doubt, you will love it in no time.
It's quite fair to mention that Oda is a huge fan of exposition and meticulous planning. Love it or hate it, it only serves to add that extra layer of depth to the story. All his story arcs have a lasting impact and he never forgets about the characters he introduces. The unbelievable lack of any real plot holes in such a long running series demonstrates his attention to detail and love of his craft.
Sure, many of you will scoff when you hear One Piece is a masterpiece. Really thou, I scoff at that too. Oda makes mistakes like any author and the plot moves quite slow at some points (a disease mostly exclusive to the anime). However, what One Piece excels at is its sheer amount of entertainment. So what if it's not Shakespeare. It will definitely bring you more fun than Hamlet ever would.
Overall, One Piece has grown on me like no story ever has. Throw away your doubts and give it try. Before you know it, you'll only be wanting more.
---Common misconceptions and preposed solutions---
-Think you're too mature for "shounen shit"?
Get over yourself.
-Not a fan of long ass anime?
Read the manga! I highly recommend it as it is devoid of the many pacing issues present in the anime.
-Actively hate on it because it's part of the Big 3?
Again, get over yourself. "Big 3" is an incredibly moronic way to lump three totally different manga together just because of their sales.
-Hate it because of the fans?
Hate the fans, not the author. Make your own decision on the story based on YOUR experience.
-Don't like the concept of pirates?
Do "rubber, panty loving, cyborg, samurai, sexy, reindeer pirates" change your mind?
-Manga is also too long?
Don't gimme that shit. You're reading my long ass review so you must have quite the free time.
-Already caught up in it?
Fuck yea, brofist.
