Sails Set: One Piece Journeys to the UK, BBC on Board
Revamped One Piece Mania Sweeps the UK! (Read on for the full scoop and more!)
Listen up, pirate enthusiasts! The One Piece frenzy has swept the globe with unrelenting force, and the UK has found itself getting a taste of the action!
BBC, the iconic British broadcaster, has picked up the rights to the celebratory 1,085 episodes of the much-loved anime based on Eiichiro Oda's epic manga series. As of today, those episodes will start streaming on the network's free iPlayer platform and continue to roll out through the end of 2024. Of course, the only version accessible will be the English dubbed version, which may be a disappointment for subtitle purists.
Now, hold on to your straw hats! While BBC claims this is the sole legal outlet for watching the show in the UK, it's puzzling that they don't seem to have plans to bring it to traditional TV channels like their American counterparts do through Adult Swim. Moreover, the future of the anime's numerous feature-length films remains a mystery.
With approximately 1,120 episodes of One Piece currently in creation, the entire anime will soon be streaming on the BBC iPlayer! UK viewers can expect to gain access to the inaugural "East Blue" arc and all the way up to the most recently concluded "Land of Wano" storyline, which wrapped late in 2023. Fiona Campbell, BBC Three's Controller of Youth Audiences, enthusiastically stated that this acquisition is a "really exciting move" and "One Piece has become a cultural phenomenon, and we're ecstatic to see how the fanbase will enjoy this massive series of episodes available in English only on iPlayer."
With over a thousand episodes spanning four months, the UK audience will have ample time to explore and become fully immersed in the One Piece universe before the year's end. If that seems like a daunting task, you can always catch up on the action via Netflix's live-action adaptation, whose second season is in production, or opt for a more digestible version with Netflix's other One Piece adaptation, known as The One Piece.
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Stay tuned for potential announcements about the release of the many One Piece movies in the UK, as they tend to follow a similar timeline to their Japanese counterparts (typically coinciding with the spring vacation). Keep a close eye on companies like Anime Limited, who often distribute popular anime films in the UK, for any upcoming news regarding the One Piece movies.
- UK television viewers might also be eager to learn about the future of One Piece's numerous feature-length films, as they traditionally follow a similar timeline to their Japanese counterparts.
- Io9 readers may appreciate insights into potential announcements about the release of One Piece movies in the UK, given their interest in updates on Marvel, Star Wars, Star Trek, DC Universe, and Doctor Who.
- Additionally, companies like Anime Limited, known for distributing popular anime films in the UK, could provide updates on the One Piece movies.
- Eiichiro Oda's One Piece fever continues to rise with Fiona Campbell, BBC Three's Controller of Youth Audiences, expressing her excitement about the massive series of episodes becoming available only in English on iPlayer.
