In the first weekend of its release, the anime adaptation of One Piece has become the number one ranked TV series in 84 different countries around the globe.
This surpasses the record set by the Stranger Things season 4 and the Addams Family adaptation Wednesday, both of which ranked number one in 83 countries during the first few days of their release.
Based on the manga and anime of the same name, the plot centres around the spritely aspiring pirate Monkey D Luffy (played by Iñaki Godoy) and his group of misfits as they set sail on the high sea in search of adventure and treasure.
Luffy’s set of scallywags, otherwise known as the Straw Hat Pirate crew, includes swordsman Roronoa Zoro (Mackenyu), Nami the thief (Emily Rudd), daydreamer Usopp (Jacob Romero) and the ship's charming cook Sanji (Taz Skylar). Together, they embark on a journey of challenges, friendship and self discovery through the trials and tasks of the rolling seas.
The series was seven (yes, seven) years in the making and thanks to the involvement of creator Eiichiro Oda, Netflix’s One Piece has broken the anime adaptation curse and impressed original One Piece fans and new audiences alike. Since setting anchor into Netflix last week (August 31), One Piece has earned rave reviews from critics and the seal of approval from anime fans all over the world, with the viewing figures to match.
One reason for the record number of streams may be because this is the first ever live action adaptation of One Piece despite the original manga debuting in 1997. So why now?
Eiichiro Oda, one of manga's most influential names, previously told Netflix: "Back then, 26 years ago when I started One Piece, it was not an era when such a manga could be made into a film," Oda said. "However, at a certain point in time, the real technology of CG and VFX started to improve, and it became possible to visualise anything. I had seen many such things, so I decided to take the plunge, thinking that if I could have a truly reliable staff, I might be able to somehow make a film."
Due to the success of the first instalment and a handful of classic One Piece characters missing from the first season, it is safe to assume that season 2 of Netflix’s One Piece is on the horizon.
You can stream One Piece on Netflix now. For more, check out the best shows on Netflix and best movies on Netflix.
