Another week and another new Netflix number one has risen to the top of the stack (in the UK anyway, it's nowhere to be seen in the US charts). It's a Netflix Original action-drama series, adapted from the anime original which spanned 20 seasons and over 1000 episodes, called One Piece.
In a rare turn of events, One Piece has critics doling out shining reviews of the eight-part show, with an 83% Rotten Tomatoes score. But its fans and the audience score of 96% shows just how jubilant lovers of the original show and newcomers alike are with this adaptation. It's not an opinion-splitter like the entirely different Netflix Original Painkiller, which I wrote about a few weeks ago. You can watch the One Piece trailer below:
I think that's great to see, showing that Netflix can sometimes do that all too rare thing of releasing a much-loved show (although, who knows how long it is before it gets cancelled, eh?). It's not impossible, of course, with another well-deserved Netflix sci-fi scoring a rare 100% Rotten Tomatoes score. That's why it's still one of the best streaming services available right now.
While anime – which is a Japanese style of animation, often (but certainly not always) aimed at younger viewers – might not appeal to all viewers by its very nature, I've always been a big fan since watching shows late at night on Channel 4 (not the kid-friendly ones so much, it must be said). One Piece sits somewhere in the middle, as it's rated 12 for UK audiences, given use of some violence, nudity and language.
Once you're done watching all eight episodes of One Piece, whether you fall in love with the show or don't get its appeal, there's plenty of opportunity to use your Netflix account to dive into other action-adventure shows. Especially at a time when Netflix is cracking down on password sharing and has now just scrapped its basic plan, so being subscribed for the late summer is a must.
For me, One Piece has re-ignited my recently dormant relationship with anime, almost making me want to resubscribe to Crunchyroll in addition to picking up some different old-school animation classics on Disney+ (not anime, granted, but it's all good). I suspect this show will continue as one of Netflix's strong runners this year, although can't imagine it'll make it as far as season 20 before receiving the now-expected 'Netflix cancellation' baton. Best enjoy it whilst it's here, eh?
