Netflix is betting big on “One Piece,” expanding the fantasy adventure series beyond the live-action television series.
The streamer will release its first-ever Lego animated special of the series this September and will produce an anime series with WIT Studio, which is currently in production. Season 3 of the live action series, which was renewed earlier this year, will be titled “One Piece: The Battle of Alabasta.”
“The passion of the ‘One Piece’ fandom is unparalleled—spanning generations, they’ve turned our live-action series into a true global phenomenon that continues to top the Netflix charts,” Marian Lee, chief marketing officer at Netflix, said. “We are massive fans too, which is why we’re going bigger than ever to bring the Grand Line to life across every medium.”
The intentional expansion of the “One Piece” is a reflection of Netflix’s increasing investment in the anime adaptation as a franchise. As two of its largest franchises “Stranger Things” and “Squid Game” aired final episodes last year, the streamer may look to fill the gap with the promising anime adaptation.
“One Piece” Season 2 debuted at No. 1 on the Netflix Global Top 10 March 10 and has not left its post since. The season also scored a 100% critics score on Rotten Tomatoes.
“The Battle of Alabasta” will premiere in 2027 on Netflix. The upcoming season will see the Straw Hat crew face a brewing civil war and a powerful warlord to save Princess Vivi’s homeland Alabasta. A rebellion threatens to tear the nation apart, fueled in secret by one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea, the ruthless Sir Crocodile, and his underground syndicate the Baroque Works.
The “One Piece” showrunners said that the Alabasta saga is one of the most beloved stories in the fantasy universe, based on the 1997 Japanese manga series of the same name, and one of their “personal favorite arcs.”
“Season Three builds on everything we’ve done before to tell a war story that’s epic and emotional, spectacular and surprising,” Joe Tracz and Ian Stokes said. “We can’t wait for fans to join us in Alabasta, where the stakes are high, and the ducks are big.”
The Lego animated series is a first for Netflix. The two-part series is in partnership with the Lego Group, Shueisha and Atomic and will premiere on the streamer Sept. 29. The special will retell the events of the first two seasons of the live action series for new and dedicated fans.
The upcoming “One Piece” anime series will bring fans back to Japanese manga artist Eiichiro Oda’s original vision from his comic book series. The new series will be a reimagining of the iconic East Blue saga, which tells the origin story of the first five Straw Hats.
Netflix will also release an expanded line of products to bring the Straw Hat crew into viewers’ homes beyond the screen. The products include a partnership with Lego inspired by Season 2 as well as collaborations with Moose Toys, NERF, Quiksilver, Funko, Penguin Random House, Hot Topic and Primark.
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