Soooo, first of all, One Piece is a really optimistic work despite lot of dark themes that the series has. Slavery, corruption, (implied) rape, death, you name it.
But, in the series how many known characters that have on-screen death?
Before the timeskip, we've got Going Merry, Shirohige and Ace. Although Going Merry itself IMO isn't really a character, (Don't get me wrong, I cry everytime I read/watch that scene, even in Pirate Warriors 3) since it/she has almost no character relevancy...
Oda's Death Policy
But, in the series how many known characters that have on-screen death?
Before the timeskip, we've got Going Merry, Shirohige and Ace. Although Going Merry itself IMO isn't really a character, (Don't get me wrong, I cry everytime I read/watch that scene, even in Pirate Warriors 3) since it/she has almost no character relevancy...
Oda's Death Policy