Does Netflix Own ‘One Piece’ Now or What?

After Netflix’s middling take on Cowboy Bebop, the streaming platform finally struck gold with another attempt at live-action anime: One Piece.

Debuting in August 2023, Netflix’s take on the iconic manga and anime series struck a chord with both long-time series fans and newcomers alike, finally demonstrating that Netflix had the chops to bring anime to life. Hot off the series’ success, we’re also receiving a brand new anime adaptation of One Piece from WIT Studio in conjunction with Netflix, called The One Piece. As far as Netflix is concerned, One Piece is a winning property worth investing in.

For many viewers, these installments raised an important question: Does Netflix now own the rights to Monkey D. Luffy and his crew? Did Netflix acquire full control of the series’ anime, manga, and related products? It’s a question worth asking, given that the streaming platform is one of the biggest and most prominent entertainment companies in the world today.

Netflix does not own One Piece, nor did the platform purchase the series and its IP. The One Piece manga is still published by Shueisha in Japan and Viz Media in the U.S., with new installments in Weekly Shonen Jump. Toei Animation produces the One Piece anime, which is available to stream on services including Crunchyroll and Funimation in the U.S., and Fuji TV in Japan.

Of course, you can catch the original One Piece anime on Netflix if you’re in the U.S., but that doesn’t necessarily mean Netflix owns the franchise. It just means it’s available to stream on the service. In fact, Netflix’s One Piece live-action adaptation came from Tomorrow Studios and Shueisha, meaning Netflix ultimately had to partner up with the Japanese One Piece publisher to produce its hit TV series. Similarly, the upcoming Netflix anime The One Piece has a copyright line in its announcement post that makes it clear that series creator Eiichiro Oda and Shueisha own the rights: “©Eiichiro Oda/Shueisha, The One Piece production committee.”

Granted, Netflix has a pretty strong relationship with the iconic anime and manga series. Besides the live-action Netflix series and the upcoming anime adaptation, Netflix offers the original One Piece anime in various regions beyond the U.S., such as Bolivia, Brazil, and the Dominican Republic. A second season is planned for the 2023 One Piece series as well, suggesting Netflix’s live-action take on the franchise continues to be well-received with its Japanese publisher.

Don’t mistake these opportunities for IP ownership, however. Not while Oda is still creating the manga, and Shueisha is still putting out new installments. Things could always change once the One Piece anime and manga inevitably end, of course. If so, we’ll keep you posted on the changes.

(feature image: Toei)