Netflix launched Season 2 of the live-action “One Piece” in March as a sequel to season one released in 2023. The series, in its first and second seasons, has gained record-breaking viewership and extremely positive ratings. Given the “curse” of live-action adaptations of manga and anime that have historically failed, this achievement is remarkable.
About this phenomenal success, I have read many analyses and criticisms: The original creator’s involvement is the key, the casting is perfect, the creators make some ingenious changes to the source material.
Indeed, all of those factors may well be correct. However, it is not only the internal factors in the creative process mentioned above, but rather external factors that may have had a greater impact on their success.
1. Rising Demand for Overseas Adventure in the Post-Pandemic Era
“One Piece” is a story about Monkey D. Luffy and his pirates set out on an adventure seeking the legendary treasure. Luffy sails the seas with his crew on a pirate ship, visiting various islands and places as he pursues his dreams.
This theme resonated deeply when the series’ first season premiered in 2023. Arriving just as the COVID-19 pandemic began to recede, the series met a public whose hunger for adventure and oversea travel had reached a breaking point after years of restricted mobility.
In other words, the live-action “One Piece” provided a virtual gateway to the very experiences audiences craved. They ultimately delivered a sense of adventure to millions worldwide.
2. Defining the Ideal Leader for Today’s World
Anyone who has watched this show has likely been deeply impressed by Monkey D. Luffy, the protagonist of “One Piece.” Luffy is the leader of a pirate crew, and together with his crewmates, overcomes various difficulties, tough opponents and complicated situations. His motto is simple: Never give up on his dreams, value his crew, and stay true to his convictions. He’s always honest—he admits he’s really bad at lying—, and he stands by the vulnerable.
By observing this character, Luffy, the people should notice that his attitudes matched what people need as leaders under the political, economical or cultural chaos world nowadays. Luffy is a character who makes you want to follow him and live in the world he leads.
Because this is live-action, people can experience Luffy not just as a character in a fantasy world, but as if he were a real person. The performance by Iñaki Godoy, who plays Luffy—an actor whom the original creator has personally endorsed as the real-life embodiment of Luffy—lends the character such conviction that it feels as though Luffy truly exists in this world.
Luffy is a highly compelling leader figure in our complex and chaotic modern society. His personality and presence are undoubtedly the driving force behind this work’s success.
3. Expanding of the global anime market
Market conditions are very favorable, according to the data from Association of Japanese Animations. The Japanese animation market in a broad sense has reached record highs of more than $25 billion in 2024, a threefold increase from 20 years ago. A key factor driving this remarkable market growth is the expansion of the international market.
In 2023, the year Netflix launched live-action “One Piece,” was the exact time the international market exceeded the domestic market in the Japanese animation industry. This shift indicates anime-related contents are no longer just for Japanese consumers and Otaku, but for a global, general audience.
In other words, the market for live-action adaptations of anime—which have struggled in the past—is now completely different from what it used to be. While the anime fan base was once limited and the related market was niche, the current anime-related market has expanded dramatically and has become widely accepted by the general audience. This live-action series has achieved phenomenal success by capitalizing on this favorable market conditions.
Thus, the external factors mentioned above are essential to the success of this work. It is the combination of these factors and the high-quality creative work—driven by favorable internal factors—that has made this series stand out as something truly special to people.
