I've been reading the tea leaves, and I'm pretty sure that Netflix is making a bigger bet on One Piece than some people might realise. The anime/manga adaptation is just about to start its second season (as confirmed by a fairly raucous final trailer during the past few days) but Netflix might have ambitions for it to become a tentpole franchise as it moves forward.
The signs are there – one of the most subtle being that when Netflix unveiled its Netflix House real-world locations last year it had one with a One Piece area, something marking the show out among other giants like Squid Game, Wednesday and Stranger Things. That last one is relevant, since it just ended after years as a big number-spinner for Netflix.
If Netflix wants to reign as the best streaming service on the market (and it definitely has that aim, openly), then it knows it needs at least a handful of huge franchises on the spin at any one time. People need a reason not just to subscribe for a couple of months at a time, but to stay subscribed perpetually, after all.
One Piece's first season was clearly a success by the internal metrics that Netflix uses, or it wouldn't have been swiftly renewed for another run. That said, even once the new episodes arrive on 10 March, in a few days, we'll only be two seasons into the show, which seems early for Netflix to be emphasising it so heavily.
Regardless, it'll be interesting to see whether the new season debuts with the sort of huge numbers that Netflix is hoping for. Its trailers certainly make it clear that it's got even more ambition than the last run, and is continuing with its straightforward approach to adapting an anime. There's no dodging weird outfits, facial hair, giants and more – they're all present and correct.
You don't have long to wait if you're part of the many people already converted by the show, either, so get it on your watchlist and make plans for a big old binge.
