One Piece Creator Had No Idea His Series Would Last THIS Long
With over 1000 episodes, One Piece anime would take you weeks to finish even if you don't take breaks.
One Piece anime has 20 seasons and more than 1000 episodes, being on air since 1999. It is based on Eiichiro Oda's manga series of the same name, which has a whopping 106 tankōbon volumes as of July 2023.
So yeah, if you haven't been following One Piece since its inception in 1999, and are hyped to check out the original in the wake of the new Netflix adaptation, you definitely got a lot of work to do. It would take you more than 420 hours to watch the entire series if you don't plan on sleeping or taking any break at all, you know, for work or stuff.
Even the series creator Oda is surprised by the longevity of his brainchild, though. Speaking with The New York Times in a rare interview, the One Piece author noted that the initial plan was for the series to be a lot shorter.
"I never thought “One Piece” would last this long: When I began, I imagined it might run for five years. But it was my first time doing something serialized, and I found that as I kept writing, the characters took on lives of their own. Before I knew it, they were writing the story for me, and it just kept going," Oda explained.
Well, it is what it is. Today, One Piece is one of the longest-running anime series in history, and if you are having second thoughts about binging it, we totally understand.
Which is why Netflix is just on time with its live-action adaptation of Oda's hit, which premiered on the platform today, on August 31st. The first season consists of eight episodes, which already seems like a (one) piece of cake.
Besides, there's no reason to panic that Netflix's adaptation will be another Death Note or Cowboy Bebop, as this time, the creator himself is a part of the production. Oda made it clear that the show could only be released after he deemed it worthy; so have no fear and set your sails!
Source: The New York Times