How the Japanese Anime Series One Piece Became One of the Biggest Entertainment Franchises in The World

The Japanese anime series One Piece just hit its milestone 25th anniversary and has run for more than 1,000 episodes. The show has become a worldwide phenomenon and is the most popular manga comic story of all time based on sales, with a Guinness World Record to prove it.

One interesting secret of its success may be its complexity. According to One Piece Podcast host Zach Logan, “One Piece changed the manga industry. When it comes to the sheer number of characters and ideas created by Oda-sensei [One Piece creator Eiichiro Oda], no other body of work can match it.”

During the pandemic when people were seeking content like this with a huge body of work that could be binged for days upon end, One Piece was just right. Hundreds of episodes to catch up on, a never-ending story line and a complex world of storylines to learn. Would it have become this popular without that pandemic blip moment? It’s hard to say. But twenty-five years is an impressive milestone that many invented worlds never hit. If you aren’t a fan yet, you could probably start now. Without another pandemic, though, it might take you the next twenty-five years to catch up.