Netflix Has a Disappointing Update for One Piece Fans

Netflix has been heavily investing in One Piece, especially after the success of its live-action adaptation in 2023. The live-action series was well-received by both fans and critics, leading Netflix to officially renew it for a second season just a month after its release. The third season is also rumored essentially already be in production to follow Season 2. Not only that, but the streaming giant continues to stream the One Piece anime, including various arcs and movies. The anime remake by WIT Studio will also find a home on this platform. Considering the massive global success of Eiichiro Oda’s manga, it wouldn’t be surprising if Netflix invested further in One Piece-related content, possibly through new projects, collaborations, or anime distribution.

On the other hand, the streaming giant will be removing One Piece Film: Strong World from the United States, according to What’s on Netflix. It’s a famous film by the franchise released in 2009, around the same time the Marineford Arc was airing. Strong World is also the first One Piece movie that Eiichiro Oda was personally involved in, so it’s considered canon. Hence, it was a massive success both critically and commercially. The film will officially be removed on March 15th, so if you haven’t checked it out yet, now is the perfect time. While Netflix remains predominantly the best place to watch One Piece’s most recent movies barring Japan-exclusive releases, this is inevitably a blow for fans wishing to watch the movie on demand.

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What is One Piece Film: Strong World About?

The film begins with the Straw Hat Pirates hearing reports of East Blue being attacked. Since most of the crew members are from that sea, they express their concerns. However, while they were investigating, a legendary pirate, Shiki the Golden Lion, crossed their path. Shiki is a canon character mentioned in the Marineford Arc as Roger’s rival and the only pirate in history to escape from Impel Down.

Shiki cut off both his legs in order to escape and later replaced them with swords. The power of the Float-Float Fruit allows him to float and even make objects and islands float in the sky. He now seeks revenge on the World Government and plans to destroy East Blue using monstrous, genetically enhanced animals. After being impressed by Nami’s navigation skills, Shiki kidnaps her and forces her to work for him.

Of course, knowing that the rest of the crew will try to save her, Shiki strands them on different islands full of mutated and dangerous creatures. The film continues as the Straw Hats reunite to save Nami and stop Shiki’s plan to destroy East Blue. On the other hand, Nami pretends to cooperate with Shiki while secretly trying to escape.

Eiichiro Oda personally wrote, designed, and supervised the film, making it more relatable to the original story as compared to other One Piece films. The film features intense battles, with Luffy facing off against Shiki in an aerial fight. Additionally, in order to create hype for the film, Oda created One Piece Volume 0, a special manga that revealed Shiki’s backstory, his connection to Roger, and the events leading up to the movie.

Source: What’s On Netflix