One Piece: Sanji's Restaurant at Universal Studios Returns This Summer

Universal Studios Japan is once again swinging open the doors of Sanji's restaurant for park-goers.

By Evan Valentine

Universal Studios Japan has never shied away from honoring some of the biggest anime franchises, with the theme park adding the likes of Attack on Titan, Sailor Moon, Hunter x Hunter, Neon Genesis Evangelion, and more to its park. There has been one shonen franchise that is the biggest in the park, as One Piece has had several attractions at Universal Studios Japan for quite some time. First arriving in the park in 2007, Sanji's restaurant will swing open its doors once again this summer as One Piece continues to skyrocket in popularity.

Sanji's Pirate Restaurant first became a part of Universal Studios Japan in 2011 and each year, the establishment has had a rotating cast of characters that add some ambiance to the eatery. The restaurant includes both actors in costume and statues wherein fans can take photos with the anime characters brought to life. Unfortunately, the establishment is once again relegated to only Universal Studios Japan, as no Universal Studios' park in North America has featured the Straw Hat Pirates to date. Thanks to the success of Netflix's One Piece and the growing popularity of anime in the West, perhaps we'll one day see Sanji's restaurant hit America.

One Piece Returns to Universal Studios

Universal Studios Japan not only confirmed that Sanji's restaurant would open this year once again, but that there would also be a lottery system put into place to make sure that Straw Hat fans can reserve a seat. 

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The live-action Sanji, Taz Skylar, went to some serious extremes to make sure that he was able to bring the Straw Hat chef to life. Not only did the young actor spend some serious time in the gym to work on his kicks, he also routinely spent time in the kitchen to make sure that his culinary skills were up to snuff. Should the live-action series continue to follow the source material, expect Sanji to have some big fights as a part of both the Drum Island and Alabasta Arcs. Set to begin filming this summer, One Piece season two might help bring the shonen franchise to Universal Studios in North America one day. 

Do you think we'll one day see Universal Studios in North America pay tribute to the One Piece franchise? Follow along with Team Anime on ComicBook.com for all the latest on anime amusement parks and hit me up directly @EVComedy to talk all things comics, anime, and the world of the Grand Line. 

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