In a surprise (but welcome) move, Netflix has announced the renewal of ONE PIECE after only a few weeks

In the current environment of economic uncertainty in the streaming market and the ongoing writers’ and actors strikes, it was refreshing to find out Netflix has confirmed the renewal of ONE PIECE. Many shows are facing possible cancellation (Shadow and Bone being one) or have even been cancelled despite renewal (The Peripheral) so this is good news indeed. With the show being so new, it’s possible you’ve yet to watch it — let’s talk you through some of the reasons why it’s worth your time.

What is ONE PIECE?

There’s a handy guide on the Netflix Tudum site with content for newbies and those more familiar with the show. In terms of genre, it’s a fantasy pirate series, more technically a live-action manga adaptation of Eiichiro Oda’s best-selling series (there’s already a highly successful anime). It’s manga roots lead to vivid characters and surreal settings, but the overall sense is one of positivity and even joy.

The central character is Monkey D Luffy (played by Iñaki Godoy) who has always wanted to be a pirate, find the legendary treasure the One Piece (hence the title) and become King of the Pirates. He assembles a crew of talented misfits called the Straw Hats. Roronoa Zoro (Mackenyu) is the ambitious but guarded swordsman. Nami (Emily Rudd) is a thief who keeps her secrets close to the vest. Usopp (Jacob Romero) is another dreamer with adventure in his heart. And Sanji (Taz Skylar) is a skilled cook and charming rascal. Unusually for a pirate, Monkey is more Robin Hood than Blackbeard, making a point of helping those who can’t help themselves.

Just how popular is it?

Since 1997, Eiichiro Oda has produced over 1005 volumes, selling over 500 million copies. There have been 20 seasons with over 1,000 episodes of the anime, 15 movies and over 40 games.

Netflix clearly saw the opportunity here if it could do the live-action adaptation well. Oda himself has been involved in the project and (so far) ONE PIECE is currently the No. 1 title globally on Netflix with 37.8 million views amassed in less than two weeks since its release. The series reached the Top 10 in 93 countries, and debuted at No. 1 in 46. Certified Fresh with a 96% Audience Score on Rotten Tomatoes from 10,000+ ratings, it’s among Netflix’s highest audiences scores ever.

It looks certain to make the all time Top 10 after 13 weeks and all that remains is to see just how high it will go.