For the third week in a row, Netflix’s live-action One Piece adaptation is sitting at the top of the streamer’s Top 10 chart for television shows.
Arguably one of the most successful live-action anime adaptations, the Netflix series based on Eiichiro Oda’s manga earned 10 million views in its third week on the site week, maintaining the #1 spot on the television charts for the streaming service. Last week saw the show pull in 19.3 million viewers following the 18.5 million it drew during its debut week. Given the massive numbers, it’s no surprise Netflix renewed One Piece for a second season in record time. Meanwhile, Season 5 of Virgin River and Who Is Erin Carter? kept their #2 and #3 slots, respectively.
While anticipation for the live-action series was high, many fans worried it’d suffer the fate of Netflix’s take on Cowboy Bebop, which audiences and critics alike found an exercise in futility. One Piece struck a different chord with viewers, however, successfully managing to bring the wacky cartoon elements of the source material into the live-action setting and winning over manga and anime die-hards with its casting choices. The show has also proven a perfect entry point for newcomers, streamlining the lengthy manga into a bingeable first season that remains highly faithful to the page.
If One Piece can maintain its momentum when Season 2 arrives, fans could be in for a full adaptation (albeit a condensed one) as Netflix could spend years turning the manga/anime stories into new seasons of the show. Season 1 of One Piece merely scratched the surface of Luffy’s hunt for the titular treasure, meaning audiences old and new could be adventuring alongside the live-action Going Merry crew for years to come.
Season 2 of Netflix’s One Piece does not yet have a release date, but expect more news once studios finally agree to a deal with striking writers and actors.
