Ever since One Piece debuted in the late 1990s, the Straw Hat Pirates have been one of the biggest shonen series to debut from the pages of Weekly Shonen Jump. With its anime adaptation now over eleven hundred episodes, Monkey D. Luffy is in the throes of his final saga and becoming bigger in North America. For quite some time, it seemed that many Japan-only events revolving around the Grand Line would remain exclusive to that country, but things are starting to change. Recently, one of the biggest real-world events focusing on One Piece has been announced to make its way to the West.
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Universal Studios Hollywood recently announced that One Piece is coming to the North American theme park, bringing one of its biggest Japanese attractions to the West for the first time. While Luffy and the Straw Hats had a previous Fanfest Night last year, the shonen franchise’s comeback will finally debut the One Piece: Grand Pirate Show. For years, this live-action stunt show has run in Universal Studios in Japan, with many believing it would never come to the U.S. Luckily, Eiichiro Oda’s legendary franchise has become so big that the event will run in North America from April 25th to May 16th during select nights.
What is the One Piece Water Show?
If you want more insight into this live-action performance, here’s how Universal itself describes the performance arriving in California later this year, “Embark on the ultimate voyage at the live, high-energy experience, ONE PIECE: Grand Pirate Show with Luffy and the Straw Hat Crew. Dive into explosive battles, splash-filled stunts, and a dazzling pyrotechnic finale. Then head to the ONE PIECE: Grand Pirate Gathering fan zone, where you can purchase Sanji’s Galley eats and themed drinks, plus photo ops with the Straw Hat Crew. Adventure awaits! Water you waiting for?”
One Piece’s newfound popularity in North America can certainly be attributed to the rise of anime in recent years, but there is another reason that more normal fans are beginning to learn about Monkey D. Luffy. Netflix’s live-action adaptation of the Grand Line has become one of the biggest new franchises to hit the streaming service, with the platform already confirming that a third season is in production. Luckily, One Piece enthusiasts only have a few more weeks of waiting to witness the live-action second season in action.
One Piece won’t be the only franchise that makes up this event, though it is the only anime represented at Universal Fanfest Nights. Joining Monkey D. Luffy includes Scooby-Doo, Harry Potter, Dungeons & Dragons, and Super Nintendo World, with each planning to have unique attractions of their own. In the past, Jujutsu Kaisen appeared in North America’s Fanfest Nights, though YUji Itadori isn’t confirmed for these upcoming events. Fingers crossed that more anime make their way from Japan to North America, relating to Universal Studios.
What do you think of One Piece’s live show making its way to the West? Leave a comment below and join the conversation now in the ComicBook Forum!
Via Universal Studios Official Website
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