One Piece’s live-action adaptation recently released its second season, introducing countless viewers to fresh takes on the likes of Tony Tony Chopper, Smoker, Brook, Sabo, and many other characters of the Grand Line. Despite the series being highly anticipated for its first season, routinely thought of as one of the best live-action anime adaptations, season two might not have done as well as many hoped. With the series recently hitting Netflix, now seems like the right time to diagnose the season two arrival, its ratings, and what this might mean for the future of the live-action Grand Line.
As reported earlier this week, One Piece’s second season landed with 16.8 million viewers over its first four days. This is a decrease from the first season, which landed on Netflix with 18.5 million over the same four-day period. As a comparison, Stranger Things would routinely see each of its seasons, normally, excelling past the previous premieres. Wednesday, the other Netflix live-action juggernaut, received over 50 million views for the first four days of its second season release. While the production budget of One Piece season two hasn’t officially been revealed, reports hint at the idea that it is at least on par, if not more expensive, with the first season. As of the writing of this article, season three has already started production, though there might be reason for One Piece fans to believe that a fourth season and beyond might be out of reach when tallying the numbers.
The Case For One Piece Sinking
Netflix
Despite the love that the cast and crew have for the live-action One Piece, this affection for Eiichiro Oda’s work might translate as well. In terms of Netflix’s overall roster, the live-action adaptation is sitting pretty for the top spot of “Global Top 10 Shows,” though it appears to have not caught on with such a strong start in North America alone. As per Tudum, One Piece season two has taken the number four spot for the week of March 9th to the 15th, beaten by the likes of Love is Blind: The Reunion, The Dinosaurs, and Virgin River. While some of these series might not net as many views worldwide as the Straw Hats, their respective production budgets are sure to be far lower, especially in the case of Love is Blind, thanks to it being a low-cost reality series.
As mentioned previously, One Piece’s third season has already been decided, with Netflix looking to recreate the land of Alabasta. However, considering the desert landscape and colorful new cast of characters, both real and CG alike, we could see the production budget being comparable. The next season would need to, more than likely, present a strong showing in the ratings department and solidify itself as a Netflix juggernaut to assure the future that the cast and crew are vying for. As anime fans know, locales like Skypeia, Water Seven, Thriller Bark, and Marineford would more than likely be quite costly to bring to life, leaving us to wonder if the next season would work as the season’s last. With the long wait between seasons, some potential viewers might be turned off by sailing with the Going Merry.
The Case For One Piece Sailing Free
Courtesy of Netflix
Despite not hitting the same heights as the likes of Wednesday and Stranger Things, this doesn’t mean that doom is essential for One Piece’s live-action adaptation. For one thing, the Grand Line has a leg up over some of the other series mentioned above in its merchandising. Love is Blind and The Dinosaurs don’t have the same ability to create promotional material focusing on its characters like Luffy and company. The series still has higher ratings worldwide than many of its challengers, as coming in first place is no small feat.
One other factor that shouldn’t be ignored is how One Piece season two helped to elevate the first season in the ratings department. The first season returned to the top ten, with audiences looking to either catch up on the Straw Hats’ adventure or experience them for the first time. While far below the ratings of season two, the first season’s revival netted additional ratings for Netflix overall, which is sure to be a factor in the series’ overall success. Netflix has long been touting the idea that it is looking to be the premier streaming service for all things One Piece, lending additional credibility that the live-action series will sail on for some time.
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