Netflix recently announced that the live-action adaptation of “One Piece” ranked No. 1 among the platform’s global English-language shows in its third straight week, with 10 million total views.
The series is based on the ongoing hundred-volume manga by Eiichiro Oda, who is also credited as an executive producer on the show, and is known for spawning one of the most successful animes in the world – consistently topping DVD sales in Japan and being the most-watched show globally in 2022, even beating “Stranger Things.”
The eight-episode first season adapts the East Blue Saga, corresponding to the first season of the anime. It debuted as a Netflix-exclusive on Aug. 31 in the No. 1 spot, and has been surprisingly well-received by critics and fans alike – currently sitting at a score of 86 percent with critics and 95 percent with audiences on Rotten Tomatoes. It has attracted both new fans and longtime followers of the anime and manga, largely staying true to the source material thanks to Oda’s oversight.
A second season for “One Piece” was recently confirmed – by Oda himself via the Netflix YouTube channel – thanks to the strong reception of the series, expected to release between September 2024 and March 2025, depending on when the SAG-AFTRA strikes are resolved. It will follow the Arabasta Saga, which spans volumes 12-24 of the manga and seasons 2-4 of the anime, and introduce fan-favorite series mascot Chopper to live action.
This marks something of a turnaround for Netflix’s catalog of anime-to-live-action projects, which have historically had mixed success – “Death Note” (2017) and “Cowboy Bebop” (2021) being particularly painful spots on their record.
While the live action features an all-new cast, the Japanese dub notably features the original anime voice actors for Luffy, Zoro, Nami, Usopp and Sanji.
