The manga and anime series One Piece has a long and distinguished history and is based on historical figures. The manga has remained popular with a 25-year long run to date, with the anime series also thriving within the community.
Although there are other anime adaptations from manga that are worth watching, we will be solely focusing on One Piece this time.
The History
The history of One Piece begins with the creation of the manga series. Eiichiro Oda, the creator continued to work a demanding schedule, creating all of the drawings himself. He remained committed to the high quality of storytelling that captured the hearts of a global audience and made the manga series popular.
One Piece is one of the most popular manga series in Japan. It first began serialization in 1997 in the popular boy’s magazine, Shonen Jump. Since then, it has expanded to become a standalone publication that broke several publishing records. In fact, it has the largest initial print run of any manga series by a single author.
One Piece also explores the history of Japan’s relationship with foreigners. The Wano Country in the story reflects the country’s complicated history with foreigners. In the manga, an outsider named Kaido makes a deal with the villagers of Wano and takes over the land. In return, the villagers suffer from chronic famine and environmental devastation. Kaido plans to use the weapons produced in Wano for his pirate ambitions.
In addition to the manga series, Toei Animation has also produced several original story pieces. These are referred to as “filler” by fans, and are often set in the same world as the manga, but they don’t have a tangential effect on the manga’s story continuity. In addition, Toei Animation also produced several short films for the series.
The Characters
The show is set in a world of pirates, and there are nine of them who are known as the Straw Hat Pirates. While the main characters are all well-known to Japanese audiences, there are a few characters who have less attraction outside of Japan.
Among the many characters featured in One Piece is the hero of the series, Monkey D. Luffy who is popular both in the local and international scene. Luffy’s design was influenced by the Sun Wukong myth, a concept that also inspired the design of Goku from Dragon Ball.
One Piece is also notable for its bizarre characters, with designs that are oddly proportioned and feature strange facial structures, such as long Tengu-like noses. The voice cast also make the character’s unique personalities come to life. It is definitely a fun, action-packed series.
The Crew Behind The Netflix Adaptation
Aside the original creator, Eiichiro Oda, Steven Maeda was the main showrunner and executive producer for the upcoming One Piece Live Action. Showrunner Maeda has worked on many different projects, including The X Files, Lost, and Lie to Me.
Marc Jobst who directed episodes of Netflix’s Daredevil, The Punisher, and The Witcher, is also involved in the production, along with other key personnel like Mart Adelstein and Becky Clements.
While there is no official release date, filming has already begun in Cape Town, while additional cast members were revealed in June 2022.
The Growth in Popularity
The One Piece anime series started out as a manga in 1997 and has a huge following. It has over 100 tankobon volumes and has received worldwide recognition.
One of the reasons for its growth in popularity is because creator Hideaki Anno (not related) recognized the appeal of female fans of shounen manga and included them in the cast of characters. While young boys can certainly enjoy One Piece, it is not just for them. The anime has long avoided gory scenes, though lately there has been a noticeable amount of censorship.
One Piece is also popular among moviegoers. A new movie, One Piece Film: Red, has come out this Autumn. It focused on a new character, Uta, who is the daughter of the imposing pirate Red-Haired Shanks.
The series has become a popular pick for merchandising. Clothing lines like Uniqlo and 7-Eleven have made their own clothing with One Piece characters. Other companies have even used the anime’s characters to advertise.
The plot of One Piece is not only unique and diverse, but it’s also interesting to note that the series incorporates popular European and Japanese cultures. It’s also notable for its super pirates who can’t swim. Another popular arc of One Piece revolves around Wano Country, which features samurai and an aesthetic reminiscent of Edo-era Japan.
Final Thoughts
One Piece has remained relevant for more than 20 years and now has a much larger audience than ever before. It is one of the most popular manga series in history, with five hundred million copies in print in over 60 countries by 2022. It is also the highest-grossing media franchise of all time.
Needless to say, the show has become an instant classic among fans of all ages, genders, and tastes.
