‘One of the best shows of all time’ with over 1000 episodes will stream for free on BBC
Viewers will soon be able to tune in to one of the best animated series of all time totally free of charge when it comes to BBC iPlayer next month.
One Piece final trailer
BBC iPlayer will become the new home for a critically acclaimed and fan-favourite anime series from Sunday, September 1.
Classic Japanese anime One Piece, which has a staggering 1,085 episodes in total, will be streaming for free from this weekend.
10 sagas from the series will be released in total by the end of 2024.
The first three, containing over 200 episodes dubbed in English, will be available from this Sunday with the rest of the epic series coming later.
One Piece is considered one of the greatest anime series of all time, even beating out the best live-action shows on some lists.
Based on a still ongoing manga series by Eiichiro Oda, the anime follows wannabe swashbuckler Monkey D Luffy and his gang of Straw Hat Pirates who battle fierce villains on the high seas in search of a legendary treasure.
It was recently adapted into a live-action Netflix series starring Iñaki Godoy as Luffy, which has been renewed for a second season.
BBC Three and iPlayer Controller of Youth Audiences, Fiona Campbell, said of the acquisition: "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."
Premiering in 1999, fans are still loving One Piece all around the world, hailing it as one of the most significant animes and compelling stories of all time.
In 2024, it beat out the likes of Shogun, The Bear and House of the Dragon on IMDb’s list of users’ favourite shows of the year.
One fan on X (formerly Twitter) posted: “Now that I've caught up with OP (anime), I can say the following:
“One Piece is the absolute undisputed king of worldbuilding. It's the adventure of a lifetime, the most romantic journey ever and definitely one of the best stories I've ever experienced.”
Another wrote: “Do not forget that One Piece is currently the best animated series and nothing will top it for a while.
“No other series ever produced the same amount of sakuga (standout animation) in a single year as One Piece did in 2023.”
A third said: “One Piece is the most intricately built world in all of manga and anime.
“Oda creates an adventure that lasted a lifetime and continued to gain new fans over the years. The sense of wonder and journey you get from following this series is beyond any other.”
And an enthusiastic fan on Reddit posted: “One Piece is a masterpiece, something that has never been seen before and something that will never be surpassed ever.
“One Piece is the greatest piece of creation of all time. I love One Piece. I breathe One Piece. I pray One Piece. I dream One Piece. I respect One Piece. I live One Piece.
“One Piece is the GOAT and is 100 tiers above any other piece of entertainment whether it’s an anime, a movie, a series, a documentary, a show.”
One Piece will stream from Sunday, September 1 on BBC iPlayer, with more episodes releasing by the end of 2024.
