The BBC has secured the United Kingdom rights to over 1,000 episodes of the English dubbed version of the renowned anime series ‘One Piece’.
Produced by Toei Animation and based on Eiichiro Oda’s manga series, ‘One Piece’ holds the title of the world’s number one manga, boasting over 500 million copies sold and more than 100 volumes published. Since its international screen debut in October 1999, the series has celebrated over 1,000 episodes and currently ranks as IMDB’s highest-rating TV show of 2024 with an impressive 9/10 user rating.
‘One Piece’ chronicles the adventures of Monkey D. Luffy and his crew, the Straw Hat Crew, as they navigate the Grand Line in pursuit of the legendary treasure known as the ‘One Piece’, with the ultimate goal of becoming the next King of the Pirates. The BBC is now the exclusive platform in the UK for audiences to watch the dubbed versions of the series, allowing fans to experience the narrative arcs from East Blue through to the Land of Wano.
Fiona Campbell, Controller of Youth Audiences, iPlayer and BBC Three, commented on 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.”
BBC iPlayer, in conjunction with BBC Three, will be releasing all 10 sagas of the series between September and December. The first three sagas – East Blue, Alabasta, and Skypiea, totalling 206 episodes – will be available from 1st September. By the end of the year, all 1,085 episodes will be accessible on BBC iPlayer. This marks the inaugural occasion that dubbed versions of the series are available in the UK.
The acquisition of ‘One Piece’ episodes by BBC Three and iPlayer not only reflects the series’ global appeal but also provides UK audiences with unprecedented access to the iconic anime.