One Piece in Uncharted Waters: The Beginning of the End

As Eiichiro Oda's acclaimed manga series enters its final phase, the Netflix adaptation is ramping up production.

BY LELAND SCOGGINS

One Piece fans should not fear a Game of Thrones scenario in which the live-action adaptation passes the source material, because Eiichiro Oda has announced his plan to expeditiously conclude the series at the same time Netflix's adaptation works to wrap production on its first season. In a recent interview, Oda stated he hopes to finish the manga within the next three years. Meanwhile, the Netflix team continues to announce new castings and show off behind the scenes content. Despite finding themselves in a classic case of one door closing and another door opening, One Piece fans do not have to pick one over the other, and they can rest assured that they will continue to receive regular doses of wacky pirate adventures.

Long term fans of the series may meet Oda's three-year timeline with healthy skepticism, due to the author's history with similar claims not coming to fruition. He originally intended the series to last five years total. It is now in its twenty-fifth year. Oda once claimed that the story was half complete when the series was around 200 chapters long, and again claimed to be halfway done when the series was around 400 chapters long. Despite his prior misjudgments, Oda's newest three year prediction feels like the closest One Piece fans have ever been to a finale. Given the current state of the story, all signs seem to point toward an impending conclusion. The plot point checklist is growing shorter with each chapter release. Long awaited reveals, reunions, and final battles still loom, but nothing seems to be so big that it could not be resolved in the next few years.

With the Netflix series slated to release in 2023, there will be a period of overlap with the manga. If all goes well for the adaptation, it will be on its second or third season when the manga reaches its conclusion. Given the several attempts Netflix has made at adapting manga and anime franchises in the past, it is understandable that some may be skeptical of the One Piece live-action making it past its maiden voyage, but One Piece is no ordinary manga. The twenty-five-year-old juggernaut is one of the highest grossing franchises of all time, with an impressive $21 billion in revenue under its belt. The series is also globally recognizable with pockets of fans all across glove. While the world enjoys One Piece, Japan loves it. In its homeland, One Piece's popularity is comparable to Star Wars or Marvel in America. The series permeates the nation's pop culture with theatrical releases, stage plays, public statues of characters, and themed tourist attractions. If Netflix was going to give special attention to any of its manga/anime adaptations, it would go to One Piece.

Fans should consider themselves spoiled, as the manga and live-action adaptation are not they only One Piece properties to look forward to. The franchise's latest theatrical release, One Piece: Film Red, is scheduled to hit theaters on August 6th in Japan, with a worldwide release following.