It's actually kinda exceptional. Still, I feel we shouldn't dismiss the negative, despite how big the positive may be. This show still had kinda slow animation until it got to the timeskip part. The Straw Hat Crew (main characters) seem to grow as characters, but I believe they mainly grow in how well bonded they become to each other and in physical strength, but they still keep their weaknesses like cowardice, stupidity, being horrible at directions, being overly attached to saving money and perverseness, although maybe those weaknesses could be forgiven due to it being apart of the comedy, but I still wanted to mention it. There's also this being over 1000 episodes, not like a story needs to be limited if it's written well, but I mention this, cause it can be hard for one to keep up with watching this and it should be understood why someone would refuse watching this show in the first place, it can be time-consuming and difficult to take on watching every single episode, but 'some' audience members who recommend this to others are too hardheaded to understand that. There's also characters in this show that get so much damage done to them that I feel they should definitely have died, even for anime standards, but those characters somehow survive anyway. And a few times plots can feel like they drag on, ESPECIALLY with the amount of still shots and flashback scenes thrown into an episode, it can be ridiculous at times.
Despite the negatives though, I both do and don't feel like recommending this show. It can be a nice watch at times, but holy crap it has a lot of episodes, fillers, still shots, flashbacks, then there's also the movies to consider, someone's taste in the art style (Cause I won't lie, the art style turned me away for some years before I actually started watching it) and sometimes the plot can just be summed down to The Straw Hats (main characters) going to a random island and spending their time getting lost, then trying to find eachother again.
If anything, I'd say give it a try, BUT only if you feel you are willing to go through the challenge of 1000 episodes. Because, despite how good this show can be, I've just gotten into the Dressrosa Arc ending, which is 700+ episodes in. But I feel I've kinda only gotten into it, cause I'm generally a stubbornly determined individual. I feel if I wasn't like that, then I might not have gotten this far.
So, in other words, if you feel you're hardheaded/stubborn enough to attempt to go through 1000 episodes, then give it a try.
And for those who recommend this and basically say, "1000 episodes is nothing", you're a delusional piece of work. Anyway, that's my take for now.
