Highlights
- Netflix's reboot of the One Piece anime is slated for release in 2024, raising questions about the necessity of rebooting a still-popular franchise.
- One potential advantage of the reboot is that it could attract Japanese viewers to subscribe to Netflix, which has struggled to gain momentum in Japan.
- A reboot could also make the series more accessible to new viewers by condensing the story and improving animation quality, and it may appeal to existing fans who don't want to rewatch all 1,000 plus episodes of the current series.
How early is too early to reboot a franchise? Years after the original ended? Right after the previous entry flops at the box office? Maybe the best way is to just reboot every single year so that there is always something from that franchise to enjoy? These are the questions that have plagued many franchises of the day: from Batman to Hulk, Harry Potter to Lord of the Rings, and Dragon Ball to...One Piece?
Yes, believe it or not, there IS a One Piece reboot that is slated to go into production! It is going to come from Netflix and Toei Animation, and it is slated to launch sometime in 2024. Some are intrigued by the reboot. Others are wary. Mainly, though, people seem confused. Considering the franchise is twenty-plus years strong and one of the most profitable anime currently in production, does the world really need a reboot? Interestingly, if you take a step back, there are some advantages a reboot could provide.
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The History of the One Piece Anime
The One Piece anime began in 1999 (gees, has it already been that long...?), and is produced by Toei Animation. It adapted the adventures of Monkey D. Luffy and his crew in search of the One Piece treasure. Early arcs covered the East Blue Saga, and the series gained popularity with the Grand Line Saga, featuring iconic arcs like Alabasta and Enies Lobby.
The anime's longevity and consistent episode releases have made it one of the longest-running and most successful series globally. The series has also expanded with movies and TV specials. Since its premier, One Piece has gained international acclaim, captivating audiences worldwide. It continued adapting the latest manga arcs, exploring the mysteries of the Grand Line.
With over 1,000 episodes, it is one of the most successful anime Toei Animation has produced, and new episodes are still being made to this day. With that being said, it was quite a shock to many of the anime fans when Netflix announced a surprise project.
Toei's History of Long-Running Anime
While One Piece is certainly a long show, it is not the only long series that Toei Animation has been involved with. Some of their other long series include:
- Dragon Ball - 153 episodes
- Dragon Ball Z - 291 episodes
- Sailor Moon - 200 episodes
- GeGeGe no Kitaro - 536 episodes
- Doramon - Over 1,700 episodes
As you can see, Toei Animation is used to producing long-running series, which is why they are one of the most successful animation producers in Japan.
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Despite his reputation and power, the Commander of the Revolutionary Army has shown no signs of trying to save Luffy, Kuma, or Vegapunk.
Netflix Announces the Reboot
Though many fans fully expected Netflix to announce a second season for their live-action version of the hit pirate show, they truly caught the world off guard when they announced that they would be producing an animated reboot of the hit series. The question then was why? Why reboot an anime that is not only still in production, but is still very popular around the world? What are the benefits? It turns out that when you take a step back, there are a few potential advantages to a One Piece anime reboot.
The History of Reboots for Shows Currently Running
While reboots may be common these days, this particular reboot is special as it is the only reboot to be commissioned while a hit variation of the franchise is still in production. While franchises like Battlestar Galactica, Shaman King, and Pokemon were all commissioned at some point, One Piece is the only franchise in history whose reboot will air while another iteration is also airing at the same time.
The Advantages a One Piece Reboot Could Provide
Though it may seem strange to reboot a highly successful series that is still in production, there are a few advantages to producing a reboot of the Straw Hat Pirates adventures. First and foremost, it gives Netflix a guaranteed hit that will attract Japanese viewers to subscribe to Netflix. Netflix has struggled to gain a lot of momentum in Japan due to the country's old fashioned methods of media consumption (many Japanese viewers were even recording the Urusei Yatsuri reboot on VHS and watching it on old TV sets).
As a result, streaming has had a relatively small presence in Japan. Much like Disney saw the value in locking down an anime from Dragon Ball Z creator Akira Toriyama, Netflix sees value in rebooting the number one anime in the world. Alright, so that's a good business reason to do a reboot. What about the creative reasons to do a reboot? It turns out, there may be a few of those as well. While One Piece may be the most popular anime airing today, it is a hostile franchise to new viewers. At over 1,000 episodes, who has time to start it?
The live-action version proved that there are new fans to be found, and an anime that doesn't require years out of one's personal life to watch may bring in some new ones. For that matter, while the current anime is not known for having poor animation, it has always suffered from being on a weekly schedule. Having a series where the animation is given more time and care could result in a better looking show. For that matter, it may give the animators a chance to make the animation more closely resemble Oda's artwork in the manga. The final reason (though this is a theory and should NOT be taken as news) is that Oda may potentially be bringing One Piece to an end, and would like a new series to be in production when the original anime ends. That last one is probably a stretch, but since we're coming up with theories anyway, we figured we'd throw that one out there as well.
Finally, while the current series isn't known for its filler episodes, the idea that the reboot could cover the same ground in half the amount of time will likely be far more appealing for fans than rewatching all 1,000 plus episodes of the current series. So, while a reboot of the One Piece anime may have received ridicule, it appears there are reasons to several key reasons to make it (both business-wise and artistically).
One Piece can be streamed on Crunchyroll.
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