Since this weekend, the latest episode of the hit series ‘One Piece’ can be streamed on Netflix. In the future, an episode of the so-called ‘Egghead Arc’ will appear on Netflix every Saturday at noon. That is the name of the new and 21st season of the popular anime about the adventures of the Straw Hat gang.
At first glance, anime fans can now rejoice. The new episodes are released just under a week after their premiere in their home country Japan. However, there are some limitations – for both casual viewers and hardcore fans.
“One Piece” – only in the original, only new episodes
“One Piece” is only available in the Japanese original with subtitles in several languages, including German, of course. For most anime fans, this shouldn’t be much of a problem as they are used to watching their favorite movies and series in the original, as they often take a long time to sync. However, for a wider audience this can be intimidating.
Another minus: Netflix only releases the new episodes of ‘One Piece’. The series has been running since 1999. You start with the 1,089th episode and the 21st season. The old episodes are not available.
Better for ‘One Piece’ newcomers than fans?
After all, the beginning of a new storyline, such as the so-called ‘Egghead Arc’, is always a good point to start the series fresh. This is exactly where the target audience for Netflix could lie. Anyone who became interested in the original through the remake of the series can now take a first look here. After all, very few newcomers will have the time or interest to catch up on 1,088 episodes.
But there’s a problem for longtime “One Piece” fans following the series in Germany. Because ProSieben MAXX only broadcast part of the previous 20th season. Nearly 40 episodes remain unreleased in this country. Anyone who has been aware of the current German publication faces a difficult decision:
Skip almost 40 episodes and catch up later to watch the latest episodes on Netflix? Or wait and be patient and leave out new episodes that are available?