If you’re a fan of the hit anime series One Piece hailing from the UK, your 2024 just got very exciting. As per IGN, the BBC has officially picked up over 1,000 episodes of the anime and plans on releasing them over the next few months. The BBC picked up the distribution rights as of August 30, 2024, with all episodes set to be released by the end of the year,in their dubbed format. However, there will be no option to watch the episodes in their original Japanese form with subtitles, with the BBC the only place for UK viewers to catch the show. The BBC iPlayer will host the eye-watering amount of One Piece, with the first batch of episodes dropping on September 1, 2024.
The many arcs of One Piece are quite the mammoth viewing task, so the fact that a full release schedule has not yet been announced should be no issue. One of the greatest anime series of all time, One Piece hasn’t just hooked audiences with a blend of immersive action and detailed animation but managed to keep them hooked for more than 1,100 episodes since its debut in 1999. Based on Eiichiro Oda‘s manga series of the same name, the story follows the crew of the Straw Hat Pirates, headed by the rubber-bodied Monkey D. Luffy, as they scour the Grand Line on the hunt for the ultimate treasure – the “One Piece”. Speaking of the BBC acquisition, controller of youth audiences at iPlayer and BBC Three, Fiona Campbell, said:
“It’s a really exciting move to bring the One Piece franchise to UK audiences in the coming months. With its captivating storytelling, rich characters, and global fanbase, One Piece has become a cultural phenomenon and we’re so excited to see how the fanbase will enjoy this huge canon of episodes available in English only on iPlayer.”
The Live-Action ‘One Piece’ Has Cast a Bridgerton Star For Season 2
Not just an anime hit, the live-action adaptation of One Piece has proven a sensation for Netflix, with the enormous success of its first outing instantly demanding a second. Alongside the return of the main cast of Season 1, which includes the likes of Iñaki Godoy, Mackenyu, Emily Rudd, Jacob Romero, and Taz Skylar, the latest casting announcement confirmed that another Netflix star was joining the ranks. The brilliant Charithra Chandran, best known as Edwinda Sharma from Bridgerton Season 2, will play the role of Baroque Works agent Miss Wednesday in One Piece Season 2. The second season is expected to arrive sometime in 2025, so stay tuned to Collider for more updates.
1,000 episodes of One Piece will be coming to the BBC this year. You can watch all episodes of the live-action adaptation’s first season right now on Netflix.
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